Varaha Purana 34.13 — Adhyaya 34, Shloka 13
Account of the Origin of the Ancestors (Pitṛs) and the Regulations for Śrāddha Offerings
तूष्णीं ससर्ज भूतानि तमूचुः पितरस्ततः । वृत्तिं नो देहि भगवन् यया विन्दामहे सुखम् ॥ ३४.१३ ॥
tūṣṇīṃ sasarja bhūtāni tam ūcuḥ pitaras tataḥ | vṛttiṃ no dehi bhagavan yayā vindāmahe sukham || 34.13 ||
In Schweigen erschuf er die Wesen. Da sprachen die Pitṛs zu ihm: „O Bhagavān, gewähre uns eine Lebensweise, durch die wir Wohlergehen erlangen.“
Pitṛs (ancestral beings), addressing the primary creator/instructor figure
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"questioner","key_question":"What ordained means of sustenance/role (vṛtti) is allotted to the Pitṛs so they may attain sukha (well-being)?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"varnashrama","instruction_summary":"The Pitṛs request an assigned vṛtti (function/means of support), implying that cosmic society requires defined roles sustained by human rites (śrāddha/tarpaṇa).","karmic_consequence":"When humans uphold pitṛ-karmas, Pitṛs are ‘supported’ and reciprocally support descendants; neglect disrupts reciprocal welfare and lineage prosperity."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"interdependence across realms","core_concept":"Well-being is sustained by reciprocal obligations: created beings require ordained means (vṛtti), and humans participate through ritual remembrance.","practical_application":"Treat śrāddha/tarpaṇa not as mere custom but as sustaining reciprocity; cultivate gratitude to lineage and responsibility to unseen dependents."}
Subject Matter: ["Cosmology","Ethics","Social Order (vṛtti/livelihood)"]
Primary Rasa: karuṇa
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Type: cosmic/primordial scene
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 34.34.11-12 (Pitṛ fruits and Dakṣiṇāyana path)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Brahmā sits in meditative silence after creation; the Pitṛs approach with folded hands, expressing their request for vṛtti; the atmosphere is austere and primordial.","item_prompts":["Brahmā in silent posture","Pitṛs in reverent petition","cosmic void/lotus motif","subtle creation elements emerging","gesture of supplication"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: strong, calm Brahmā; Pitṛs in muted tones; minimal background with lotus/cosmic bands; emphasis on silence and petition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: Brahmā with gold halo; Pitṛs kneeling; sparse cosmic backdrop; ornate but restrained composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: serene facial expressions; fine detailing of hands in añjali; soft cosmic ambience.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: delicate, contemplative scene; airy negative space; Pitṛs clustered respectfully; subtle lotus imagery."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"supplicatory, grave","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"hushed, earnest, slightly plaintive"}
FAQs
It reflects a Purāṇic motif in which newly constituted classes of beings (here, the Pitṛs) request an assigned vṛtti—an authorized mode of sustenance—linking cosmology with early South Asian discourse on social function and ethical livelihood.
No geographic location is named in this verse; it is situated in a cosmological-ethical dialogue rather than a tīrtha or sacred geography passage.
The verse foregrounds the principle that well-being (sukha) is sought through an appropriate, granted or regulated means of livelihood (vṛtti), anticipating later discussions of duty, sustenance, and social-ethical order.
Ask anything about this verse
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