Varaha Purana 39.56: Adhyaya 39, Shloka 56

Discrimination of the Three Bodies and the Dharaṇī Vow: A Manual for Dvādaśī Observance

Devanagari script

एवं दत्त्वा विधानॆन द्वादश्यां विष्णुमर्च्य च । विप्राणां भोजनं कुर्याद् यथाशक्त्या सदक्षिणम् ॥ ३९.५६ ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 39.56

Transliteration

evaṃ dattvā vidhānena dvādaśyāṃ viṣṇum arcya ca | viprāṇāṃ bhojanaṃ kuryād yathāśaktyā sadakṣiṇam || 39.56 ||

Translation

এইভাবে বিধি অনুযায়ী দান করে এবং দ্বাদশী তিথিতে বিষ্ণুর পূজা করে, সামর্থ্য অনুযায়ী দক্ষিণাসহ বিদ্বান ব্রাহ্মণদের ভোজন করাবে।

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Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त्वा (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having given)

• विधानेन: by the prescribed procedure
• विधानेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (करण/साधन), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• द्वादश्याम्: on the Dvādaśī (12th lunar day)
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• अर्च्य: having worshipped
• अर्च्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) + ल्यप् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्यबन्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having worshipped)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• विप्राणाम्: of the Brahmins
• विप्राणाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive plural)

• भोजनम्: feeding, meal (act of feeding)
• भोजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• कुर्यात्: should do / should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (should do)

• यथा-शक्त्या: according to one’s capacity
• यथा-शक्त्या: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; अर्थः—यथाशक्ति (according to ability)

• स-दक्षिणम्: together with a priestly fee (dakṣiṇā)
• स-दक्षिणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/सह) + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (सह-तत्पुरुष); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; भोजनम् इति विशेषणम् (with dakṣiṇā/gift)

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Dharma-śāstra Interface

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a Purāṇic synthesis of ritual devotion (Viṣṇu-arcana) with social ethics (feeding and gifting to learned recipients), paralleling norms also discussed in Dharmaśāstra traditions.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific geographic site is named in this verse; it focuses on calendrical timing (Dvādaśī) and ritual-charitable procedure.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

To integrate worship with generosity: after performing the prescribed observance, one should feed learned persons and offer an appropriate honorarium in proportion to one’s means.