Varaha Purana 14.47 — Adhyaya 14, Shloka 47
Ritual Procedure for Śrāddha: Sequence, Eligibility, and Offerings to Ancestors
सोमाधारः पितृगणो योगाधारश्च चन्द्रमाः । श्राद्धं योगिनियुक्तं तु तस्मद्विप्रेन्द्र शस्यते ॥ १४.४७ ॥
somādhāraḥ pitṛgaṇo yogādhāraś ca candramāḥ | śrāddhaṃ yoginiyuktaṃ tu tasmad viprendra śasyate || 14.47 ||
पितृगणांचा आधार सोम आहे आणि योगांचा आधार चंद्र आहे. म्हणून, हे विप्रेंद्र, योग्य योगासह केलेले श्राद्ध प्रशंसनीय आहे.
Varāha (default, instructor voice in the Varāha–Pṛthivī dialogue framework)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"None"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"shraddha","instruction_summary":"Perform śrāddha aligned with an appropriate auspicious yoga (lunar/temporal conjunction), since Soma/Moon governs pitṛ-support and ritual timing.","karmic_consequence":"Properly timed śrāddha strengthens pitṛ-satisfaction and ritual efficacy; neglecting auspicious timing diminishes the intended fruit."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":true,"symbolic_interpretation":"The verse frames ritual efficacy as cosmically grounded: Soma/Chandra functions as the regulator linking pitṛ-loka nourishment and calendrical yogas, implying yajña is effective when synchronized with cosmic order (ṛta).","yajna_varaha_imagery":"Moon/Soma as the ‘ādhāra’ (support) for pitṛ-gaṇa and for yogas; śrāddha becomes a micro-yajña keyed to lunar order.","vedantic_connection":"Karma aligned with cosmic law (ṛta/dharma) purifies the mind (citta-śuddhi), preparing for higher knowledge; time (kāla) is treated as a divine ordinance rather than a neutral backdrop."}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"karma-yoga / dharma as cosmic alignment","core_concept":"Ritual duty gains potency when harmonized with cosmic regulators (Soma/Chandra and yogas).","practical_application":"Consult lunar yoga/auspicious conjunctions when scheduling śrāddha; treat timing as part of the rite, not an optional add-on."}
Subject Matter: ["Ritual Studies","Time-reckoning (Lunar calendar)","Ethics (ancestral duty as cultural practice)","Cosmology (Moon/Soma as cosmic regulator)"]
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: None
Type: None
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 14.14 (śrāddha-yoga discussion continues in adjacent verses)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Varāha as a didactic deity explaining to a listener the lunar basis of śrāddha—Moon/Soma depicted above as the cosmic regulator while a simple śrāddha setting is suggested below.","item_prompts":["Varāha in calm teaching posture","crescent/full Moon with Soma symbolism","pitṛ figures as subtle silhouettes receiving offerings","śrāddha items: piṇḍa, kuśa grass, water vessel (kalaśa), lamp"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: serene Varāha with ornate jewelry, flat warm palette; luminous Moon disc above; minimal śrāddha altar with piṇḍas and kuśa.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-leaf haloed Varāha; embossed Moon medallion; rich reds/greens; small foreground śrāddha tray with piṇḍas and kalaśa.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: delicate linework, soft shading; Varāha teaching gesture; cool moonlight wash; restrained ritual objects.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: lyrical hillside-night sky with prominent Moon; Varāha seated as guru; tiny pitṛ-forms in clouds; simple ritual platform."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"didactic and contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"clear, instructive, steady"}
FAQs
It reflects a Purāṇic-era synthesis of ancestral rites (śrāddha) with calendrical/astral timing, indicating how ritual practice was aligned with lunar frameworks (Soma/Candra) in Sanskrit cultural history.
No specific geographic toponym is named in this verse; the focus is on temporal auspiciousness (yoga) and the lunar principle (Candra/Soma) rather than sacred geography.
The verse recommends performing śrāddha with attention to proper timing (yoga), presenting ritual diligence and respect for ancestral commemoration as a valued cultural-philosophical practice.
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