Varaha Purana 188.79: Adhyaya 188, Shloka 79

Section on the Origin and Procedure of Piṇḍa-Rites and Śrāddha: Rules of Mourning Impurity

Aśauca

Uttara Bhāga · Śrāddha–Preta-saṃskāra (Ancestral rites and funerary observances)

Devanagari script

शिवलोकं ब्रह्मलोकं विष्णुलोकं न सशंयः ॥ एवमुक्त्वा तदात्रेयः पितृकर्म यथाविधि ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 188.79

Transliteration

śivalokaṃ brahmalokaṃ viṣṇulokaṃ na saśaṃyaḥ || evam uktvā tad ātreyaḥ pitṛkarma yathāvidhi ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

वो शिव का लोक पा सकता है, ब्रह्मा का लोक पा सकता है, या विष्णु का लोक पा सकता है। कोई शक नहीं। यह बोल कर आत्रि ने पितरों के लिए सही तरह पूजा की।

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Word by Word

• शिवलोकम्: Śiva’s world
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (कर्म/गति-लक्ष्य), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य लोकः)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: शिव + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)

• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Brahmā’s world
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः लोकः)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)

• विष्णुलोकम्: Viṣṇu’s world
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विष्णोः लोकः)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: विष्णु + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात
• Role: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Root: न (अव्यय)

• संशयः: doubt
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण
• Role: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘having said’
• Role: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Root: वच् (धातु)

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)
• Role: Kāla (काल)
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)

• आत्रेयः: Ātreya (the sage)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; गोत्र/ऋषि-नाम
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: आत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)

• पितृकर्म: ancestral rite; pitṛ-ritual
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पितॄणां कर्म)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: पितृ + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• यथा: as; according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as/according to)
• Role: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)

• विधि: rule; prescription
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in the prescribed rule’ (यथा + विधौ)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• सशंयः (पाठभेद) = संशयः
• एवमुक्त्वा = एवम् + उक्त्वा
• यथाविधि = यथा + विधि (अर्थे ‘विधौ’ सप्तमी-भाव)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Adbhuta rasaSetting: Ritual space (śrāddha venue)

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Curious; seeking clarity on ritual efficacy and post-mortem destinies

What she asks

Which afterlife destinations are attained through properly performed ancestral rites, and what is the assured fruit?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Karma-phala / ritual soteriology

Subjects

CosmologyRitual StudiesSoteriology (afterlife destinies)

Core idea

Rightly performed duty (pitṛkarman) has determinate, non-random results; gati is structured by dharma and rite.

In practice

Perform śrāddha with correct procedure, faith, and completion (yathāvidhi), treating it as a serious dharmic obligation rather than a social formality.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Cosmology
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Śaiva-Vaiṣṇava Shared Motifs

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a Purāṇic synthesis where multiple divine “worlds” (lokas) are presented as attainable outcomes connected to ritual correctness and merit.

Which geographic location is identified?

No terrestrial site is specified; the loci are cosmological (Śivaloka, Brahmaloka, Viṣṇuloka).

What is the primary ethical instruction?

To perform ancestral rites in a regulated manner (yathāvidhi), implying discipline and fidelity to established procedure.