Varaha Purana 180.72 — Adhyaya 180, Shloka 72
The Glory of Dhruva-Tīrtha: Rules of Ancestor Libations and Śrāddha, and the Consequences of Lineage-Continuity
मुषिताच्छिद्रकरणैस्तद्दानफलभोक्तृभिः ॥ यथा गतास्तथा ते तु श्राद्धहूतास्तु निष्फलाः
muṣitācchidrakaraṇaistaddānaphalabhoktṛbhiḥ || yathā gatāstathā te tu śrāddhahūtāstu niṣphalāḥ
Oleh mereka yang mencuri dan menimbulkan “kecacatan/kelompongan”, lalu menjadi pemakan buah dana itu—para undangan śrāddha pulang sebagaimana mereka datang; sesungguhnya bagi penganjur, mereka tidak menghasilkan apa-apa.
Varāha (default, speaker not explicit in this verse-fragment)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"None","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":"Those who steal or introduce ‘defects’ (chidra) and then consume the gift’s fruit render the śrāddha invitation ineffective—the invited depart as they came; the sponsor gains no result.","karmic_consequence":"Fraud/embezzlement in śrāddha causes niṣphalatā (loss of merit) and accrues sin to the perpetrators; integrity preserves śrāddha-phala and ancestral satisfaction."}
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":"karma and moral causality","core_concept":"Phala follows ethical alignment; when intermediaries steal, the causal chain of merit is severed despite outward ritual form.","practical_application":"Audit śrāddha logistics: trustworthy officiants/recipients, full delivery of promised items, avoid ‘chidra’ (procedural loopholes) and misappropriation."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Ritual Studies","Economic morality"]
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bībhatsa
Type: ritual-economy setting
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa: immediate context on deceit nullifying śrāddha/dāna/vrata
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A śrāddha scene where invited brāhmaṇas/guests leave empty-handed or unchanged, while a corrupt intermediary hides the offerings; the sponsor looks distressed as merit dissipates.","item_prompts":["śrāddha altar with piṇḍas","invited guests departing","hidden pouch/covered basket indicating theft","sponsor with anxious posture","dimmed aura over offerings"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: narrative frieze—left: śrāddha setup; center: thief figure; right: guests departing; strong color symbolism (dharma bright, adharma dark).","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: ornate śrāddha arrangement with gold accents, thief minimized but clear, guests in profile leaving, sponsor seated with worried expression.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: detailed domestic ritual interior, subtle depiction of theft, emphasis on facial expressions and ritual vessels.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: gentle but pointed moral tableau, minimal interior, expressive gestures of departure, symbolic empty hands."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"grave and accusatory","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"weighted, emphasizing ‘niṣphalāḥ’ as a moral verdict"}
FAQs
It documents a moral-economy critique: improper intermediaries or fraudulent conduct can nullify the intended merit of ritual gifting, a concern echoed in other Sanskrit normative texts.
No geographic location is identified.
Ritual benefit is undermined by theft and manipulation; integrity in handling offerings is treated as essential.
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.