Varaha Purana 21.12: Adhyaya 21, Shloka 12
The Disruption of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice, the Hari-Hara Conflict, and the Establishment of Rudra’s Sacrificial Share
Pūrva Bhāga · Prayāga Māhātmya (Ritual and Sacred Geography Context)
तत्र ब्रह्मसुताः सर्वे मरीच्यादय एव च । चक्रुरार्त्त्विज्यकं कर्म स्वे स्वे मार्गे व्यवस्थिताः ॥ २१.१३ ॥
tatra brahmasutāḥ sarve marīcyādaya eva ca | cakrur ārtvijyakaṁ karma sve sve mārge vyavasthitāḥ || 21.13 ||
tatra brahmasutAH sarve marIchyAdaya eva cha | chakrurArttvijyakaM karmma sve sve mArge vyavasthitAH || 21.13 ||
ທີ່ນັ້ນ ບຸດທັງຫມົດຂອງພຣະພຣະຫມາ—ມະຣີຈິ ແລະອື່ນໆ—ໄດ້ປະກອບກິດພິທີຂອງປະໂຣຫິດ (ṛtvij) ໃນຍັດຍະ, ແຕ່ລະອົງຕັ້ງຢູ່ໃນມາກທາ ແລະວິໄນພິທີຂອງຕົນ.
Sandhi Notes
- brahmasutāḥ = brahma + sutāḥ
- marīcyādayaḥ = marīci + ādayaḥ
- cakrur ārtvijyakam = cakruḥ + ārtvijyakam (visarga/sandhi in recitation)
Varāha
Svadharma in ritual: harmony arises when each agent performs the duty aligned with his competence and lineage.
In collective religious or social work, assign responsibilities by qualification; preserve discipline (niyama) to avoid disorder.
The many ṛtvij ‘paths’ mirror the Vedic vision of one yajña expressed through multiple functional limbs—unity through differentiated offices.
Karmakāṇḍa plurality as a surface-structure of a single sustaining principle (ṛta); anticipates Purāṇic harmonization of diverse disciplines under dharma.
Ritual competence is plural: Brahmā’s sons (Marīci etc.) perform ṛtvij duties, each established in his own prescribed mārga (specialized ritual discipline).
When each officiant follows his proper role/path, yajña succeeds and yields ordered results; role-confusion (adhikāra-bhraṃśa) risks ritual fault.
Varāha Purāṇa: continuation listing specific priestly roles in subsequent verses (21.21.14-16)
FAQs
It reflects a Purāṇic framing of Vedic ritual culture by associating early cosmological sages (Brahmā’s sons such as Marīci) with officiated sacrificial duties, indicating continuity between Purāṇic narrative and ritual memory.
The verse uses the deictic “tatra” (“there”) without naming a site; the location must be inferred from the surrounding verses of Adhyāya 21 (often a tīrtha-context such as Prayāga in many māhātmya sections).
A discipline-oriented principle: ritual actions are depicted as properly performed when each officiant remains “established in his own path” (sve sve mārge vyavasthitaḥ), emphasizing ordered practice and role-appropriate conduct.
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