Varaha Purana 13.17 — Adhyaya 13, Shloka 17
The Genealogy of the Pitṛs and the Determination of Śrāddha Times
गौरमुख उवाच । ये च ते पितरो ब्रह्मन् यं च कालं समासते । किं यतो वै पितृगणास्तस्मिँल्लोके व्यवस्थिताः ॥ १३.१७ ॥
gauramukha uvāca | ye ca te pitaro brahman yaṃ ca kālaṃ samāsate | kiṃ yato vai pitṛgaṇās tasmiṃlloke vyavasthitāḥ || 13.17 ||
Gauramukha berkata: “Wahai brāhmaṇa, para leluhurmu itu—pada waktu bilakah mereka berhimpun? Atas sebab apakah, sesungguhnya, kelompok-kelompok Pitṛ ditegakkan di alam itu?”
Gauramukha
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"questioner","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"When do the Pitṛs assemble, and why are the pitṛ-gaṇas established in their world (pitṛ-loka)?"}
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":"Inquiry sets up the rule-framework for śrāddha timing (kāla) and the cosmological rationale for pitṛ-loka—preconditions for correct ancestral rites.","karmic_consequence":"Knowing proper time and purpose enables effective śrāddha; ignorance leads to misplaced rites and diminished fruit."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"causal cosmology of ritual","core_concept":"Ritual time is not arbitrary; it corresponds to real periodicities in subtle realms where ancestors ‘assemble’ and receive offerings.","practical_application":"Align ancestral rites with prescribed calendrical windows (amāvāsyā, pitṛ-pakṣa, annual tithi), and perform with understanding of intent—supporting continuity, gratitude, and ethical living."}
Subject Matter: ["Ritual Time","Afterlife Cosmology","Ancestor Traditions","Ethics"]
Primary Rasa: jijñāsā (śānta)
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: afterlife realm
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 13.13.15-16 (śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna context that motivates the question)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Gauramukha respectfully questions a brāhmaṇa about the timing and purpose of the Pitṛs’ assembly in pitṛ-loka.","item_prompts":["Gauramukha with folded hands (praṇāma)","seated brāhmaṇa teacher","scroll/ritual calendar motif","subtle vision of pitṛ-loka in background (shadowy ancestors gathered)","quiet hermitage setting"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: teacher-disciple dialogue with expressive eyes; background vignette of pitṛ-loka as a faint frieze; warm, sacred tones.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold halo on teacher; ornate seat; pitṛ-loka hinted as a gilded cloud panel; formal symmetry.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: intimate upadeśa scene; fine detailing of garments; gentle chiaroscuro; contemplative mood.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: lyrical dialogue under a tree/ashram veranda; soft landscape; small inset showing pitṛ assembly in a cloud band."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"inquiring, contemplative","suggested_raga":"Shuddha Sarang","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"curious, respectful, clear"}
FAQs
It reflects a common Purāṇic concern with the timing and structure of ancestral rites and the conceptual geography of the Pitṛ-world (pitṛloka), situating ritual practice within a broader cosmological framework.
No specific terrestrial location is named in this verse; it references “that world” (tasmin loke), i.e., the ancestral realm (pitṛloka) as a cosmological domain rather than a mapped place.
The verse frames an inquiry into ancestors and ritual timing, implying the ethical importance of attentiveness to lineage obligations and the orderly performance of rites grounded in cosmological understanding.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Varaha Purana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.