Varaha Purana 127.22: Adhyaya 127, Shloka 22
Description of the Brāhmaṇa Initiation Procedure
Dīkṣā-sūtra
Pūrva Bhāga · Dīkṣā-vidhi (Four Kalashas and Spatial Arrangement)
चतुरः कलशान्दद्याच्चतुष्पार्श्वेषु सुन्दरि ॥ वारिपूर्णान्द्विजाञ्छुद्धान्सहकारविभूषितान्
caturaḥ kalaśān dadyāc catuṣpārśveṣu sundari || vāripūrṇān dvijāñ śuddhān sahakāravibhūṣitān
chaturaH kalashAndadyAchchatuShpArshveShu sundari || vAripUrNAndvijA~nChuddhAnsahakAravibhUShitAn
चार तरफ चार मटका रख दो, पानी से भरे हुए। आम के पत्तों से सजाओ। ब्राह्मण लोग के लिए साफ-साफ होने चाहिए।
Sandhi Notes
- कलशान्दद्यात् → कलशान् + दद्यात्
- चतुष्पार्श्वेषु → चतुष्-पार्श्वेषु (द्विगु)
- वारिपूर्णान् → वारि-पूर्णान्
- द्विजाञ्छुद्धान् → द्विजान् + शुद्धान्
- सहकारविभूषितान् → सहकार-विभूषितान्
Varāha
Attentive, reassured by concrete ritual details
How should the altar be protected and sanctified on all sides during the rite?
Sacred action is spatially intelligent—purity and protection are established by aligning the rite with the quarters and elements.
When performing pūjā/dīkṣā rites, set kalaśas in the four directions with clean water and auspicious foliage to stabilize the ritual field.
Address to Earth as 'sundarī'.
The four kalaśas at the quarters mirror cosmic stabilization—guarding directions and establishing a consecrated mandala around the rite.
Four quarters (dik) secured by water-vessels; mango leaves as life/vegetative prosperity; water as āpaḥ—purificatory principle supporting yajña-space.
Ritual enclosure reflects ordering of prakṛti into a sattvic field; directional guardianship symbolizes bringing the mind’s quarters under discipline for mantra reception.
Place four water-filled kalaśas at the four sides, purified and adorned with mango leaves, suitable for dvijas.
Proper kalaśa-sthāpana invokes auspiciousness and ritual completeness; impurity or omission diminishes sanctity and fruit.
Varāha Purāṇa ch.127: kalaśa placement followed by sūtra-veṣṭana (v.25)
FAQs
It records a standardized spatial layout (four-sided placement) and a recognizable decorative convention (mango leaves), important for the history of South Asian ritual design.
No specific location is named; the verse describes a generic ritual arrangement.
To maintain purity and order in ritual setup, ensuring clean vessels and correctly arranged implements.
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