Varaha Purana 8.3: Adhyaya 8, Shloka 3

Dialogue on the Ethical Limits of Subsistence and the Five Great Sacrifices

Dharmavyādha, Mātaṅga, and Prasanna

Devanagari script

मिथिलायां वरारोहे सदा पर्वणि पर्वणि । पितॄणां कुरुते श्राद्धं स्वाचारेण विचक्षणः ॥ ८.३ ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 8.3

Transliteration

mithilāyāṁ varārohe sadā parvaṇi parvaṇi | pitṝṇāṁ kurute śrāddhaṁ svācāreṇa vicakṣaṇaḥ || 8.3 ||

Translation

O du Anmutige mit schönen Hüften: In Mithilā vollzieht der Einsichtige regelmäßig das śrāddha für die Ahnen an jedem einzelnen Parvan-Tag, gemäß rechter Lebensführung.

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Word by Word

• मिथिलायाम्: in Mithilā
• मिथिलायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिथिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th), Singular; place-name

• वर-आरोहे: O fair one (varārohe)
• वर-आरोहे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + आरोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; karmadhāraya: ‘one of excellent ascent’ (epithet, addressed)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• पर्वणि: on a festival/holy day
• पर्वणि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण—काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular

• पर्वणि: on each festival day
• पर्वणि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण—काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular; repetition for distributive sense

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Plural

• कुरुते: performs
• कुरुते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• स्व-आचारेण: by his own proper conduct
• स्व-आचारेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘by his own conduct/practice’

• विचक्षणः: the discerning one
• विचक्षणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective used substantively

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Ancient Geography

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects Purāṇic normalization of periodic ancestral rites (śrāddha) tied to calendrical “parvan” days, indicating how ritual ethics and social memory were textualized within narrative scripture.

Which geographic location is identified?

Mithilā—an important ancient city/region associated with Videha; commonly identified with the Mithilā region of North Bihar (and adjoining areas of Nepal) in modern scholarship.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

To maintain disciplined, socially sanctioned conduct (svācāra) by regularly honoring ancestors through śrāddha on recurring sacred/observance days (parvans).