Varaha Purana 14.2: Adhyaya 14, Shloka 2

Ritual Procedure for Śrāddha: Sequence, Eligibility, and Offerings to Ancestors

Pūrva Bhāga · Dharma—Vedic Learning and Qualifications (Śrotriya–Yogin descriptors)

Devanagari script

त्रिणाचिकेतस्त्रिमधुस्त्रिसुपर्णः षडङ्गवित् । वेदवित् श्रोत्रियो योगी तथा वै ज्योष्ठसामगः ॥ १४.२ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 14.2

Transliteration

triṇāciketas trimadhus trisuparṇaḥ ṣaḍaṅgavit | vedavit śrotriyo yogī tathā vai jyoṣṭhasāmagaḥ || 14.2 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

Modern Hindi

वो पंडित जिसने तीन नचिकेता विद्या सीख ली हो। तीन मधु का ज्ञान हो, तीन सुपर्ण के पाठ को जानता हो। वेद के छह हिस्सों का ज्ञान हो, वेद को जानता हो। योग करता हो और साम के सबसे बड़े गायक हो।

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Word by Word

• त्रिणाचिकेतः: one who has performed the three Nāciketa rites / ‘tri-nāciketa’
• Type: Noun
• Form: द्विगु-समास (त्रयः नाचिकेतसः/त्रिणाचिकेतः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: त्रि + नाचिकेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• त्रिमधुः: one connected with the three ‘madhu’ (threefold honey/three Madhu hymns)
• Type: Noun
• Form: द्विगु-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: त्रि + मधु (प्रातिपदिक)

• त्रिसुपर्णः: ‘tri-suparṇa’ (knower/reciter of the Trisuparṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Form: द्विगु-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: त्रि + सुपर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)

• षडङ्गवित्: knower of the six Vedāṅgas
• Type: Noun
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षडङ्गानि वेदाङ्गानि; तानि वेत्ति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: षट् + अङ्ग + विद् (प्रातिपदिक; -वित्)

• वेदवित्: knower of the Veda
• Type: Noun
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वेदं वेत्ति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: वेद + विद् (प्रातिपदिक; -वित्)

• श्रोत्रियः: a learned Vedic scholar (śrotriya)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: श्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)

• योगी: yogin
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• तथा: also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (also/likewise)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)
• Role: Nipata (निपात)
• Root: वै (अव्यय)

• ज्योष्ठसामगः: chanter of the Jyeṣṭha-sāman
• Type: Noun
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ज्येष्ठं साम गायत इति/ज्येष्ठसाम); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: ज्येष्ठ + सामग (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• triṇāciketas/trimadhus/trisuparṇaḥ are dvigu compounds used as nominative singular epithets
• ṣaḍaṅgavit = ṣaṭ + aṅga + vit (sandhi: ḍ + a)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Adbhuta rasaSetting: Ritual-educational setting

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Epistemic-ethical qualification (adhikāra)

Subjects

Vedic StudiesEducation and LineageEthicsRitual and Recitation

Core idea

Authority in dharma arises from śruti-knowledge joined with yogic discipline and correct recitation.

In practice

When selecting priests/reciters or recipients of honor/dāna, prefer those grounded in Veda, Vedāṅgas, and disciplined practice rather than mere social status.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Sanskrit
• Vedic Tradition
• Intellectual History

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It catalogs markers of elite Vedic learning—ritual competence, mastery of recitational corpora, Vedāṅga scholarship, and Sāman chanting—reflecting how Purāṇic texts preserve and reframe older Vedic educational ideals.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse; it functions as a descriptive list of scholarly/ritual qualifications rather than a sacred-geography notice.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds disciplined learning and integrity of transmission—valuing trained study (śrotriya), comprehensive knowledge (veda-vit, ṣaḍaṅgavit), and contemplative discipline (yogī) as cultural standards for authoritative teaching.