Varaha Purana 13.47: Adhyaya 13, Shloka 47
The Genealogy of the Pitṛs and the Determination of Śrāddha Times
Pūrva Bhāga · Pitṛ-karman / Śrāddha-vidhi (Ancestral rites and calendrical observance)
तत्रैव चेद् भाद्रपदास्तु पूर्वाः काले तदा यैः क्रियते पितृॄभ्यः । श्राद्धं परा तृप्तिमुपेत्य तेन युगं समग्रं पितरः स्वपन्ति ॥ श्राद्धं तु यत्पक्षमुदाहरन्ति तत्पैतृकं मुनिगणाः प्रवदन्ति तुष्टिम् ॥ १३.४७ ॥
tatraiva ced bhādrapadāstu pūrvāḥ kāle tadā yaiḥ kriyate pitṛbhyaḥ | śrāddhaṃ parā tṛptim upetya tena yugaṃ samagraṃ pitaraḥ svapanti || śrāddhaṃ tu yatpakṣam udāharanti tatpaitṛkaṃ munigaṇāḥ pravadanti tuṣṭim || 13.47 ||
tatraiva ched bhAdrapadAstu pUrvAH kAle tadA yaiH kriyate pitRRibhyaH | shrAddhaM parA tRRiptimupetya tena yugaM samagraM pitaraH svapanti || shrAddhaM tu yatpakShamudAharanti tatpaitRRikaM munigaNAH pravadanti tuShTim || 13.47 ||
Bhadrapad mahine ki pehli paksh aaye to us waqt jo apne purkho ke liye shradh karte hain, woh purkhe poore khush ho jaate hain. Ek yug tak woh chain se sote hain. Jis paksh ko shradh ka samay batate hain, use paitrik paksh kehte hain. Rishi log kehte hain ki isse purkhe khush hote hain.
Sandhi Notes
- tatraiva = tatra + eva
- ced = cet
- bhādrapadāstu = bhādrapadāḥ + tu
- tṛptimupetya = tṛptim + upetya
- yatpakṣam = yat + pakṣam
- pakṣamudāharanti = pakṣam + udāharanti
- tatpaitṛkam = tat + paitṛkam
Varāha
Curious
Why is the Bhādrapada period called the ‘paitṛka’ (ancestral) fortnight, and what is the ultimate fruit of śrāddha performed then?
Ritual remembrance is an ethical act that sustains unseen relationships; fulfillment of Pitṛ-ṛṇa stabilizes personal and social dharma.
Treat the paitṛka fortnight as non-negotiable for śrāddha; perform rites with sincerity, charity, and restraint, aiming at ‘parā tṛpti’ rather than display.
The ‘paitṛka pakṣa’ frames time as a sacred corridor between worlds; ritual remembrance becomes a cosmic maintenance act, echoing the Lord’s sustaining function.
Pitṛs ‘sleeping’ for a yuga signifies complete replenishment through offerings—like a yajña that fully ‘satiates’ the intended deities.
Smṛti (remembrance) and gratitude purify the doer; honoring Pitṛs supports dharmic order and reduces egoic isolation by acknowledging dependence.
When the (earlier/appropriate) Bhādrapada fortnight—identified as the paitṛka śrāddha-pakṣa—arrives, śrāddha performed then grants complete Pitṛ satisfaction, causing them to ‘rest’ for an entire yuga.
Observing the paitṛka pakṣa yields maximal ancestral contentment and enduring blessings for the family; neglect results in missed peak satisfaction and weaker fulfillment of Pitṛ-ṛṇa.
Varāha Purāṇa 13.13.43 (special times); Varāha Purāṇa 13.13.44 (tila-tarpaṇa efficacy)
FAQs
It reflects a Purāṇic articulation of calendrical ritual practice—linking a specific lunar fortnight (pakṣa) with śrāddha—showing how Purāṇas transmit and popularize Dharmaśāstra-adjacent norms through narrative discourse.
No specific geographic site is named in this verse; the emphasis is on ritual timing within the lunar month of Bhādrapada rather than on a pilgrimage location.
The verse promotes the cultural-ethical duty of remembrance and care for ancestors through properly timed śrāddha, presenting it as a means of ensuring their well-being (tṛpti) within the text’s moral framework.
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