Varaha Purana 53.12 — Adhyaya 53, Shloka 12

The Origin Account of Saptamūrti Svara and the Emergence of Saṃbhūti through Vibhūti

Devanagari script

पितुः पुत्रस्य यः पुत्रः स पितामहनामवान् । एवं श्रुतिः स्थिता चेयं स्वारापत्येषु नान्यथा ॥ ५३.१२ ॥

Transliteration

pituḥ putrasya yaḥ putraḥ sa pitāmahanāmavān | evaṃ śrutiḥ sthitā ceyaṃ svarāpatyeṣu nānyathā || 53.12 ||

Translation

Anak lelaki kepada anak lelaki seseorang dinamai “pitāmaha” (datuk). Demikianlah ketetapan berasaskan śruti ini ditegakkan mengenai susur galur keturunan, dan bukan selainnya.

Word by Word

• pituḥ: of the father

• putrasya: of the son

• yaḥ: who

• putraḥ: son

• saḥ: he

• pitāmaha-nāmavān: bearing the designation/name “pitāmaha” (grandfather)

• evaṃ: thus

• śrutiḥ: śruti/traditional authoritative statement

• sthitā: established

• ca: and

• iyam: this

• svarāpatyeṣu: in (matters of) one’s own progeny/line of descendants

• na anyathā: not otherwise

Speaker

Varāha (default framework: instructor voice)

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"curious/learning (receiving dharma-śāstric clarification)","key_question":"What is the correct śruti-sanctioned terminology and conceptual mapping of generations in lineage?"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"varnashrama","instruction_summary":"In lineage terminology, the son of one’s son is designated ‘pitāmaha’ by established śruti-based convention in this context.","karmic_consequence":"Correct knowledge supports proper ritual/legal usage (inheritance, śrāddha address, family rites); confusion leads to procedural faults (doṣa) in rites and social dealings."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"epistemic discipline (śabda-pramāṇa)","core_concept":"Social-ritual order relies on authoritative conventions; śruti-based naming stabilizes dharmic practice.","practical_application":"Use precise kinship categories in rites (especially ancestral offerings) and in ethical duties toward elders/descendants."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Social Law (Dharma-śāstra)","Genealogy"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: śānta

Geographic Context

Type: normative/śāstric space

Cross References

Related Themes: Genealogical/duty discussions in the same narrative unit (53.53.10–14)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A teacherly exposition scene: the speaker indicates a lineage diagram, defining ‘pitāmaha’ and generational naming by śruti convention.","item_prompts":["sage/teacher figure","palm-leaf manuscript labeled ‘śruti’","lineage tree diagram","students/listener figure (Bhū implied)","gesture of instruction"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: instructor seated with manuscript, stylized lineage creeper motif behind, clear hand gestures, warm earth tones.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-backed teaching scene, ornate manuscript and stylized family tree medallions, emphasis on textual authority.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined classroom-like setting, delicate rendering of manuscript and diagram, calm faces.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: hillside āśrama teaching, simple lineage tree painted like a flowering branch, quiet didactic mood."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"didactic, precise","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"clear, clipped enunciation on technical terms"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Sanskrit Philology
• Dharma-śāstra

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It documents a traditional (śruti-referenced) convention for kinship nomenclature, reflecting how Purāṇic and Dharma-śāstric discourse codifies family-line terminology for social and legal clarity.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is mentioned in this verse; the content concerns genealogical naming conventions rather than sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse emphasizes adherence to established authoritative conventions (śruti) in matters of lineage terminology, supporting social order through standardized definitions of familial relations.