Varaha Purana 174.44: Adhyaya 174, Shloka 44

The Sanctifying Power of River Confluences: Release from the Preta-State and the Rite of Śravaṇa Dvādaśī with Vāmana Worship

Devanagari script

अयाज्ययाजनाच्चैव याज्यानां परिवर्जनात् ॥ रतो वा शूद्रसेवायां स प्रेतो जायते नरः ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 174.44

Transliteration

ayājya-yājanāc caiva yājyānāṃ parivarjanāt || rato vā śūdra-sevāyāṃ sa preto jāyate naraḥ

Translation

അയാജ്യനുവേണ്ടി യാജനം ചെയ്യുന്നതാലും യാജ്യരെ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കുന്നതാലും; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ശൂദ്രസേവയിൽ ആസക്തനാകുന്നതാലും—മനുഷ്യൻ പ്രേതത്വം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।

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Word by Word

• ayājya-yājanāt: from officiating for the unfit (to be sacrificed for)
• ayājya-yājanāt: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-yājya (प्रातिपदिक) + yājana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Pañcamī vibhakti (Ablative/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana; samāsa: ayājyasya yājanam (ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta

• eva: indeed; just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa-nipāta (emphatic particle/अवधारण)

• yājyānām: of those fit to be sacrificed for / eligible patrons
• yājyānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive), Bahuvacana

• parivarjanāt: from avoiding/abandoning
• parivarjanāt: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pari-√vṛj (धातु) → parivarjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Pañcamī, Ekavacana; bhāva-nāman (action noun)

• rataḥ: attached; devoted
• rataḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicative adjective of saḥ/naraḥ

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-nipāta (disjunctive particle/विकल्प)

• śūdra-sevāyām: in service to a Śūdra
• śūdra-sevāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdra (प्रातिपदिक) + sevā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; samāsa: śūdrasya sevā (ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; pronoun

• pretaḥ: a preta
• pretaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• jāyate: is born
• jāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; Ātmanepada

• naraḥ: man
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Apposition to saḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

Speaker

Vipra (continuation)

Tags

• Dharma-śāstra discourse
• Purāṇic Ritual Ethics
• Sanskrit Terminology (yājya/ayājya)

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects priestly-eligibility categories and professional duty language that intersect with Dharmaśāstra, informing research on ritual economy and normative roles in Sanskrit texts.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is stated.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Follow the text’s stated standards of ritual responsibility—avoid improper officiation and avoid neglect of proper obligations.