Varaha Purana 23.34 — Adhyaya 23, Shloka 34

The Birth of Gaṇapati, the Emergence of the Vināyakas, and the Significance of the Fourth Lunar Day

Devanagari script

एतच्चतुर्थ्यां संपन्नं गणाध्यक्षस्य पार्थिव । यतस्ततोऽयं महती तिथीनां परमा तिथिः ॥ २३.३४ ॥

Transliteration

etac caturthyāṃ saṃpannaṃ gaṇādhyakṣasya pārthiva | yatas tato ’yaṃ mahatī tithīnāṃ paramā tithiḥ || 23.34 ||

Translation

ໂອ ພຣະຣາຊາ, ພິທີ/ວັດປະຕິບັດນີ້ ສໍາເລັດໃນວັນຈັນທຣະທີ 4 (ຈະຕຸຣຖີ) ອັນເກີ່ຍວກັບພຣະຜູ້ເປັນຫົວໜ້າແຫ່ງຄະນະ; ເພາະສະນັ້ນ ວັນນີ້ຈຶ່ງຖືກນັບເປັນວັນອັນຍິ່ງໃຫຍ່ ແລະເປັນຕິຖິທີ່ສູງສຸດໃນບັນດາຕິຖິທັງປວງ.

Word by Word

• etat: this (rite/observance)
• etat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc., 1st/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• caturthyām: on the fourth lunar day
• caturthyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturthī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative, 7th), एकवचन (singular)

• saṃpannam: accomplished/fulfilled
• saṃpannam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√pad (पद्, धातु) → saṃpanna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc., 1st/2nd), एकवचन (singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• gaṇādhyakṣasya: of the overseer of the gaṇas (Gaṇeśa)
• gaṇādhyakṣasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + adhyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन (singular)

• pārthiva: O king
• pārthiva: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (singular)

• yataḥ: because/whence
• yataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (causal/relative adverb: 'because/whence')

• tataḥ: therefore
• tataḥ: Hetu/Result (हेतु/फल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्यय (consequential adverb: 'therefore/from that')

• ayam: this (day)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (singular)

• mahatī: great
• mahatī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (singular)

• tithīnām: of lunar days
• tithīnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (plural)

• paramā: supreme
• paramā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (singular)

• tithiḥ: lunar day
• tithiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Varāha

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"None"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"None","instruction_summary":"The observance connected with Gaṇādhyakṣa is to be performed on Caturthī; this tithi is praised as foremost among lunar dates for that rite.","karmic_consequence":"Following: heightened merit and success of the rite; ignoring timing: diminished fruit and greater susceptibility to obstacles."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":true,"vrata_name":"Gaṇeśa-Caturthī (Caturthī-vrata for Gaṇādhyakṣa)","tithi_month":"Caturthī (fourth lunar day); month not specified in this fragment","promised_fruit":"Designation as ‘paramā tithi’ implies superior merit, auspiciousness, and obstacle-free accomplishment of intended aims."}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"dharma-of-time","core_concept":"Kāla (ritual time) is a carrier of dharma; aligning action with the right tithi amplifies spiritual efficacy.","practical_application":"Plan worship/vrata on Caturthī for Gaṇapati; treat calendrical discipline as part of ethical-religious life."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ritual Calendar (Tithi)","Ethics (Merit of observance)","Cultural Heritage (Festival traditions)"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: śānta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Geographic Context

Type: None

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 23.23.35 (tilāhāra and worship); Varāha Purāṇa 23.23.36 (recitation/listening fruit)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Varāha addresses a king, declaring Caturthī as the supreme tithi for the Gaṇādhyakṣa observance—an instructional scene with calendrical symbolism.","item_prompts":["Varāha as teacher speaking to a king (nṛpa)","gesture of instruction (vyākhyāna-mudrā)","lunar calendar motif showing ‘4’/caturthī moon phase","Gaṇapati emblem (modaka/ankusha) as contextual icon"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: Varāha in regal divine form instructing a seated king; a stylized moon-phase band indicating caturthī; subdued Gaṇapati symbol in corner.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: teacher-deity and king with gold-leaf halos; ornate manuscript/calendar panel highlighting caturthī; rich temple interior.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: elegant didactic court scene; fine detailing of palm-leaf almanac (pañcāṅga) held by an attendant.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: hillside pavilion with teacher and king; a small moon-phase diagram in the sky; gentle colors, narrative clarity."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"didactic, auspicious","suggested_raga":"Kalyāṇi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"clear, instructive, calm"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Hindu Ritual Studies
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects Purāṇic calendrical discourse in which specific lunar dates (tithis) are ranked for ritual efficacy, illustrating how festival/vrata observances were textualized and transmitted in medieval Sanskrit literature.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic site is named in this verse; it focuses on the ritual-calendar category of caturthī rather than a specific tīrtha or region.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse promotes disciplined observance of an auspicious time (caturthī) as a culturally valued practice, framing ethical conduct as alignment with an ordered ritual calendar rather than coercive doctrine.