Varaha Purana 60.6: Adhyaya 60, Shloka 6

The Rite of the Śāntivrata: A Yearlong Observance with Viṣṇu-on-Śeṣa and Nāga-Anganyāsa Worship

Pūrva Bhāga · Ritual Procedure (Snāna–Homa) and Vaiṣṇava Devotional Observances

Devanagari script

क्षीरेण स्नपनं कुर्यात् तानुद्दिश्य हरेः पुनः । तदग्रे होमयेत् क्षीरं तिलैः सह विचक्षणः ॥ ६०.६ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 60.6

Transliteration

kṣīreṇa snapanaṃ kuryāt tān uddiśya hareḥ punaḥ | tadagre homayet kṣīraṃ tilaiḥ saha vicakṣaṇaḥ || 60.6 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

ഹരിയുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെടുത്തി അവരെ ഉദ്ദേശിച്ച് വീണ്ടും ക്ഷീരസ്നപനം (അഭിഷേകം) നടത്തണം. തുടർന്ന് അതിന്റെ മുമ്പിൽ വിവേകി എള്ളോടുകൂടി ക്ഷീരം അഗ്നിയിൽ ഹോമം ചെയ്യണം।

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Word by Word

• क्षीरेण: with milk
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)

• स्नपनम्: bathing/ablution
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: स्नपन (प्रातिपदिक)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• Type: Verb
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd person singular optative
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: कृ (धातु)

• तान्: them
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Pronoun, accusative plural
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• उद्दिश्य: having addressed/with reference to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); having addressed/with reference to
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: उद्+दिश् (धातु)

• हरेः: of Hari (Vishnu)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)

• पुनः: again/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)

• तत्: there/that
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचनार्थे अव्ययीभावसमासे पूर्वपदत्वेन; here as part of locative compound with अग्रे
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• अग्रे: in front/thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय (सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम्); locative adverb
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• होमयेत्: should offer in fire / perform homa
• Type: Verb
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Causative stem, 3rd person singular optative
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: हु (धातु) [णिच् causative: होमय]

• क्षीरम्: milk
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)

• तिलैः: with sesame seeds
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural
• Role: Sahakāraka/Karaṇa (सहकारक/करण)
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक)

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-उपपद (with)
• Role: Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
• Root: सह (अव्यय)

• विचक्षणः: the discerning person
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• तानुद्दिश्य = तान् + उद्दिश्य
• तदग्रे = तत् + अग्रे (locative adverbial usage)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Bhakti rasa

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Karma-yoga through ritual offering

Subjects

Ritual PracticeEthicsHeritage Sites

Core idea

Consecrated substances (milk, sesame) offered with correct intention (uddeśa) transform ordinary acts into dharmic merit and devotion.

In practice

Maintain clarity of saṅkalpa (to whom/for what), perform snāna with reverence, then complete the rite with homa as an act of surrender and continuity.

Dharma

Vrata

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Ritual Studies
• Purāṇic Dharma

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It documents a Purāṇic-era ritual sequence—ablution (snapana) followed by fire-offering (homa)—illustrating how domestic/temple rites were framed through Vaiṣṇava dedication and standardized substances such as milk and sesame.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific location is named in this verse fragment; it focuses on ritual procedure rather than sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse emphasizes careful, competent performance of rites (vicakṣaṇaḥ) and intentional dedication (uddiśya), presenting ritual action as disciplined and purpose-directed rather than casual or negligent.