Varaha Purana 13.56 — Adhyaya 13, Shloka 56
The Genealogy of the Pitṛs and the Determination of Śrāddha Times
तत्राप्यसामर्थ्ययुतः कराग्राग्रस्थितांस्तिलान् । प्रणम्य द्विजमुख्याय कस्मैचिद् द्विज दास्यति ॥ १३.५६ ॥
tatrāpy asāmarthyayutaḥ karāgrāgrasthitāṁs tilān | praṇamya dvijamukhyāya kasmaicid dvija dāsyati || 13.56 ||
Selbst dann, wenn er durch Unvermögen eingeschränkt ist und nur Sesamsamen auf den äußersten Fingerspitzen hat, soll er sich vor einem hervorragenden Brāhmaṇa verneigen und sie irgendeinem Brāhmaṇa geben.
Varāha (default speaker framework; explicit speaker not present in the excerpt)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"deeply concerned for those with extreme scarcity","key_question":"What is the absolute minimum act of dāna that still counts when one has almost nothing?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"dana","instruction_summary":"Even if utterly unable, one should bow to an eminent brāhmaṇa and give even a few sesame seeds held on the fingertips to some brāhmaṇa.","karmic_consequence":"Token dāna with reverence preserves the thread of dharma and yields merit disproportionate to its size due to humility; contempt/withholding even a token implies spiritual dryness and loss of auspiciousness."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":true,"symbolic_interpretation":"Sesame (tila) functions as a ritual ‘seed’ of merit—small in quantity yet potent, often linked with purification and ancestral/ritual efficacy; the verse encodes minimal-yajña logic.","yajna_varaha_imagery":"Tila = concentrated havis; fingertips = measure of extreme poverty; pranāma = inner consecration substituting for elaborate rite.","vedantic_connection":"Primacy of bhāva and śraddhā: the smallest act, when free of ego and done as offering, aligns the self with dharma and the Lord’s order."}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"spiritual egalitarianism within varṇāśrama framework","core_concept":"No one is excluded from merit-making; sincerity can sanctify the smallest possible gift.","practical_application":"Maintain a daily/periodic token of giving (even symbolic) paired with respectful conduct; cultivate humility as the ‘multiplier’ of merit."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Ritual Practice","Dāna (Charity)","Social Conduct"]
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: karuṇā
Type: domestic threshold / alms encounter
Related Themes: 13.13.57 (tila + water añjali offering)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A destitute devotee holds a few sesame seeds on fingertip tips, bows low, and places them into the hands of a brāhmaṇa.","item_prompts":["close-up of fingertips with sesame seeds","deep pranāma posture","brāhmaṇa’s open palm","simple background to emphasize austerity","subtle sacred aura around the act"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Stylized hands and seeds; strong gesture language; minimal but iconic composition; warm ochres.","tanjore_prompt":"Gold leaf used sparingly to highlight the sesame and the sanctity of the act; ornate border framing a humble scene.","mysore_prompt":"Fine detailing of hands and seeds; soft devotional mood; restrained palette.","pahari_prompt":"Intimate miniature close-up; gentle lines; emphasis on emotion and humility."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"austere, tender","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"low, grave, compassionate"}
FAQs
It reflects a common Purāṇic–dharmaśāstric ethic that ritual generosity is scalable: even minimal offerings (e.g., tila) are framed as meaningful when one lacks resources, illustrating norms of accessible merit-making in premodern South Asian textual culture.
No specific geographic site is named in this verse; it functions as a general instruction within a dāna-oriented passage rather than a tīrtha (sacred geography) description.
The verse emphasizes proportional giving: when resources are limited, one should still practice respectful, modest charity—symbolized by a tiny quantity of sesame seeds—accompanied by humility (bowing) toward the recipient.
Ask anything about this verse
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