Varaha Purana 13.46 — Adhyaya 13, Shloka 46
The Genealogy of the Pitṛs and the Determination of Śrāddha Times
काले धनिष्ठा यदि नाम तस्मिन् भवेत् तु विप्रेन्द्र सदा पितृभ्यः । दत्तं जलान्नं प्रददाति तृप्तिं वर्षायुतं तत्कुलजैर्मनुष्यैः ॥ १३.४६ ॥
kāle dhaniṣṭhā yadi nāma tasmin bhavet tu viprendra sadā pitṛbhyaḥ | dattaṃ jalānnaṃ pradadāti tṛptiṃ varṣāyutaṃ tatkulajair manuṣyaiḥ || 13.46 ||
Wahai yang terbaik di antara para brāhmana, jika pada waktu itu muncul rasi bintang Dhaniṣṭhā, maka persembahan air dan makanan kepada para Pitṛ akan senantiasa memberikan kepuasan kepada mereka selama sepuluh ribu tahun, melalui keturunan manusia dari susur galur itu.
Varāha (default speaker per dialogue framework)
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":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"curious","key_question":"What additional nakṣatra condition multiplies the duration of Pitṛ satisfaction, and how does it benefit an entire lineage?"}
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":"If Dhaniṣṭhā nakṣatra occurs at the stated auspicious time, then water-and-food offerings to Pitṛs grant them satisfaction for ten thousand years, sustained through descendants’ acts.","karmic_consequence":"Proper śrāddha/tarpaṇa under this yoga yields long-duration Pitṛ contentment and strengthens kula continuity; neglect weakens ancestral satisfaction and forfeits extended benefit."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":true,"symbolic_interpretation":"Lineage (kula) is portrayed as a ritual conduit across time; nakṣatra alignment ‘locks in’ the offering’s efficacy, echoing yajña as a cosmic stabilizer.","yajna_varaha_imagery":"Dhaniṣṭhā (associated with prosperity/vasu themes in later tradition) resonates with ‘sustenance’—offerings become enduring nourishment for Pitṛs.","vedantic_connection":"Interdependence of generations illustrates dharmic causality: individual action participates in a larger continuum; gratitude becomes a mode of self-transcendence."}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"intergenerational dharma","core_concept":"Dharma operates through continuity—descendants sustain ancestral well-being; ritual is a social-metaphysical bond.","practical_application":"Maintain regular śrāddha and tarpaṇa; when Dhaniṣṭhā-yoga occurs, prioritize offerings of water and food with purity and dedication."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Ritual Practice","Ancestral Rites"]
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Type: household_rite
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 13.13.44 (tila-water offering); Varāha Purāṇa 13.13.47 (paitṛka fortnight and yuga-long rest)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A śrāddha setting with offerings of water and cooked food; above, the Dhaniṣṭhā nakṣatra is indicated; ancestral figures appear satisfied, resting in a luminous realm, linked by a line of descendants.","item_prompts":["plates of piṇḍa/anna","water libation","kuśa grass","nakṣatra symbol (Dhaniṣṭhā)","ancestral figures in soft glow","family lineage motif (multiple generations)"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stylized śrāddha feast offerings, Varāha instructing, Dhaniṣṭhā star emblem overhead, Pitṛs in a separate luminous register.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-leaf highlights on offering vessels and halo, rich reds, embossed star emblem, Pitṛs shown as serene crowned figures.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined ritual still-life (anna, jala, kuśa), subtle star marker, calm devotional ambience.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: narrative of family performing rite, ancestors resting in cloud-borne pavilion, delicate star band in sky."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"assuring, devotional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"warm, instructive"}
FAQs
It reflects a Purāṇic synthesis of calendrical astronomy (nakṣatra timing) with household ritual ethics, presenting merit and ancestral satisfaction as linked to properly timed acts of dāna and pitṛ-related offerings.
No explicit geographic site is named in this verse; the focus is temporal (the Dhaniṣṭhā nakṣatra) rather than spatial.
The verse emphasizes sustained responsibility toward ancestors through charitable offerings of basic sustenance (water and food), especially when performed at an auspicious calendrical time.
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