Varaha Purana 34.9: Adhyaya 34, Shloka 9

Account of the Origin of the Ancestors (Pitṛs) and the Regulations for Śrāddha Offerings

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणैरभ्यनुज्ञाताः शूद्राः स्वपितॄणामतः । तानेवार्चयतां सम्यग्विधिमन्त्रबहिष्कृताः ॥ ३४.९ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 34.9

Transliteration

brāhmaṇair abhyanujñātāḥ śūdrāḥ svapitṝṇām ataḥ | tān evārcayatāṃ samyag vidhimantrabahiṣkṛtāḥ || 34.9 ||

Translation

ബ്രാഹ്മണരുടെ അനുവാദത്തോടെ ശൂദ്രർ തങ്ങളുടെ പിതൃകളുടെ നിമിത്തം ആരാധന നടത്താം; എന്നാൽ വിധിക്രമവും വൈദിക മന്ത്രങ്ങളും ഒഴിവാക്കി, അവർ ആ പിതൃകളെ യഥാവിധി അർച്ചിക്കട്ടെ।

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Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणैः: by Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अभ्यनुज्ञाताः: permitted/authorized
• अभ्यनुज्ञाताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि + अनु + ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण—शूद्राः

• शूद्राः: Shudras
• शूद्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• स्वपितॄणाम्: of their own fathers/ancestors
• स्वपितॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; स्व-शब्देन सम्बन्धः (one’s own)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक अव्यय (causal particle: therefore/from this)

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• अर्चयताम्: let (them) worship
• अर्चयताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आदेशार्थे

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक अव्यय (adverb: properly)

• विधिमन्त्रबहिष्कृताः: excluded from the prescribed rites and mantras
• विधिमन्त्रबहिष्कृताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधि + मन्त्र + बहिष्कृत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण—(शूद्राः); अर्थः—विधि-मन्त्रैः बहिष्कृताः (excluded from ritual mantras/procedure)

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Dharmaśāstra Interface
• Vaiṣṇavism

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a Purāṇic negotiation of ritual participation, indicating that ancestral observances could be acknowledged for Śūdras under brāhmaṇa authorization, while maintaining restrictions regarding Vedic mantras and certain formal ritual procedures.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific geographic location is named in this verse; the focus is on ritual eligibility and method.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse emphasizes performing ancestral worship with correctness (samyak) within the boundaries of prescribed authorization and ritual constraints.