Shloka 34

Āvāhāryaka-Śrāddha: Qualifications of Recipients, Paṅkti-Pāvana, and Exclusions

Devanagari script

वृद्धश्रावकनिर्ग्रन्थाः पञ्चरात्रविदो जनाः / कापालिकाः पाशुपताः पाषण्डा ये च तद्विधाः

Transliteration

vṛddhaśrāvakanirgranthāḥ pañcarātravido janāḥ / kāpālikāḥ pāśupatāḥ pāṣaṇḍā ye ca tadvidhāḥ

Translation

Les Śrāvakas âgés et les Nirgranthas, les gens versés dans le Pañcarātra, les Kāpālikas, les Pāśupatas, et ceux qu’on appelle pāṣaṇḍa—avec d’autres du même genre—(sont évoqués ici).

Word by Word

• vṛddha-śrāvaka-nirgranthāḥ: old men, śrāvakas, and nirgranthas
• vṛddha-śrāvaka-nirgranthāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक) + śrāvaka (प्रातिपदिक) + nirgrantha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (vṛddhāḥ śrāvakāḥ nirgranthāḥ)

• pañcarātra-vidaḥ: knowers of the Pañcarātra (system)
• pañcarātra-vidaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañcarātra (प्रातिपदिक) + vid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘knowers of Pañcarātra’

• janāḥ: people
• janāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• kāpālikāḥ: Kāpālikas
• kāpālikāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāpālika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• pāśupatāḥ: Pāśupatas
• pāśupatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāśupata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• pāṣaṇḍāḥ: heretics/sectarians
• pāṣaṇḍāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṣaṇḍa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• tad-vidhāḥ: of that sort, similar (to them)
• tad-vidhāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषभावः ‘tadvidha’ = ‘of that kind’

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (frame narration attributed in the Purāṇic dialogue tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Śrāvaka
• Nirgrantha
• Pañcarātra
• Kāpālika
• Pāśupata
• Pāṣaṇḍa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

This verse does not directly define Ātman; it functions as a classificatory/polemical listing of sectarian groups, setting up a broader discussion of dharma and authoritative paths.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yoga practice is taught in this line; it names traditions (notably Pāśupata and Pañcarātra) that elsewhere contain disciplined sādhana, while this chapter’s focus is on distinguishing approved dharmic authority from pāṣaṇḍa positions.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Indirectly: by naming both Pāśupata (Śaiva) and Pañcarātra (Vaiṣṇava) streams together, it reflects the Purāṇa’s broader tendency to discuss multiple āgamic systems within a single dharmic frame, even when critiquing sectarian deviation.