Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34
Śrāddha-prayoga: Niyama, Brāhmaṇa-parīkṣā, Kutapa-kāla, Tithi-nyāya, and Vaiṣṇava-phala
ब्राह्मणानामभावे तु भ्रातरं पुत्रमेव च । आत्मानं वा नियुंजीत न विप्रं वेदवर्जितम् ॥ ३४ ॥
brāhmaṇānāmabhāve tu bhrātaraṃ putrameva ca | ātmānaṃ vā niyuṃjīta na vipraṃ vedavarjitam || 34 ||
Mais s’il n’y a pas de brāhmaṇas qualifiés, on peut désigner son frère, voire son propre fils, ou bien soi-même. Toutefois, qu’on ne désigne pas un prétendu brāhmaṇa dépourvu du Veda.
Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It prioritizes Vedic competence and dharmic eligibility over mere social label: ritual authority must rest on Veda-based knowledge, and in emergencies one may use close kin or oneself rather than rely on a Veda-less officiant.
By insisting on proper, Veda-aligned performance, it safeguards the sincerity and correctness of worship; devotion is strengthened when offerings and rites are carried out with authentic scriptural grounding rather than empty formalism.
The verse underscores Veda-adhyayana (Vedic study) as the minimum qualification for priestly function, implying reliance on Vedanga-supported competence (e.g., correct recitation and ritual application) rather than untrained officiation.