Varaha Purana 13.10: Adhyaya 13, Shloka 10
The Genealogy of the Pitṛs and the Determination of Śrāddha Times
Pūrva Bhāga · Pitṛ-dharma / Śrāddha and Ancestral Categories (Dharmic Discourse)
गौरमुख उवाच । एते हि पितरो नाम प्रोच्यन्ते वेदवादिभिः । सर्ववर्णेषु सामान्याः उताहोस्मित् पृथक् पृथक् ॥ १३.१० ॥
gauramukha uvāca | ete hi pitaro nāma procyante vedavādibhiḥ | sarvavarṇeṣu sāmānyā utāhosvit pṛthak pṛthak || 13.10 ||
gauramukha uvAcha | ete hi pitaro nAma prochyante vedavAdibhiH | sarvavarNaShu sAmAnyA utAhosvit pRRithak pRRithak || 13.10 ||
गौरमुख ने कहा, लोग इन्हें पितर कहते हैं, वेद पढ़ने वाले भी यही कहते हैं। यह सब लोगों के लिए एक जैसे हैं या अलग-अलग?
Sandhi Notes
- उताहोस्मित् पाठे सम्भाव्य सन्धि: uta + aho + svid (उताहो स्वित्)
- ‘अस्मित्’ सम्भवतः ‘स्वित्’ का लिप्यन्तर/पाठभेद
Gauramukha
Are the pitṛs (ancestral beings) common to all varṇas, or are there distinct pitṛ-groups for each varṇa separately?
Ritual categories require careful definition; appeal to Veda-expositors (vedavādins) signals śruti-smṛti alignment.
Before performing śrāddha, learn the intended recipients and rules from competent tradition-bearers; avoid improvisation.
Raises a dharma-ritual classification issue: the scope of pitṛs relevant for śrāddha across varṇas (universal vs varṇa-specific).
Correct understanding supports proper śrāddha performance and ancestral satisfaction; misunderstanding risks misdirected offerings and diminished ritual fruit.
Leads into Nārāyaṇa–Brahmā–saptarṣi genealogy (13.13.11) as a basis for pitṛ classification
FAQs
It reflects a common Purāṇic–Dharmaśāstra concern: how Vedic-derived categories (here, pitṛs/ancestors) are to be understood across social groupings, indicating an attempt to systematize ritual and lineage concepts within a broader normative framework.
No geographic location is named in this verse; it is a conceptual question about the classification of pitṛs across varṇas.
Rather than issuing a direct injunction, the verse frames an ethical-ritual inquiry: whether ancestral obligations and the concept of pitṛs apply universally across varṇas or differ by social grouping—an issue tied to equitable applicability and correct ritual understanding.
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