Varaha Purana 188.2: Adhyaya 188, Shloka 2

Section on the Origin and Procedure of Piṇḍa-Rites and Śrāddha: Rules of Mourning Impurity

Aśauca

Devanagari script

श्रीवराह उवाच ॥ आशौचं शृणु कल्याणि यथा शुध्यन्ति मानवाः ॥ गतायुषस्तृतीयेन स्नानं कुर्यान्नदीजले ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 188.2

Transliteration

śrīvarāha uvāca || āśaucaṁ śṛṇu kalyāṇi yathā śudhyanti mānavāḥ || gatāyuṣas tṛtīyena snānaṁ kuryān nadījale ||

Translation

శ్రీ వరాహుడు పలికెను—‘ఓ కల్యాణీ! ఆశౌచం గురించి విను; మనుష్యులు ఎలా శుద్ధి పొందుతారో. ప్రాణం విడిచిన మూడవ రోజున నదీజలంలో స్నానం చేయాలి.’

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Word by Word

• śrī-varāhaḥ: Śrī Varāha
• śrī-varāhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) — speaker
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + varāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; karmadhāraya honorific ‘the revered Varāha’

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac वच् (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• āśaucam: āśauca (ritual impurity)
• āśaucam: Karma (कर्म) — object of ‘śṛṇu’
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśauca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka, Dvitīyā Ekavacana

• śṛṇu: hear
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru श्रु (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (Imperative/लोट्), Madhyama-puruṣa Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• kalyāṇi: O auspicious one
• kalyāṇi: Sambodhyamāna (सम्बोध्यमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalyāṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Sambodhana Ekavacana; address to Dharaṇī

• yathā: how/so that
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā/vidhi-avyaya (correlative adverb/यथा) introducing manner ‘how/so that’

• śudhyanti: become purified
• śudhyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śudh शुध् (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada

• mānavāḥ: people/humans
• mānavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana

• gata-āyuṣaḥ: of the deceased (whose life has departed)
• gata-āyuṣaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) — genitive relation
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (कृदन्त; √gam गम्) + āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi-sense but form is genitive dependent: ‘of one whose life has gone’ = deceased person’s; used with tṛtīyena (day)

• tṛtīyena: on the third (day)
• tṛtīyena: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) — time
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tṛtīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga/Napुṁsaka, Tṛtīyā Ekavacana; instrumental ‘on/with the third (day)’ (tṛtīya-ahaḥ understood)

• snānam: bathing
• snānam: Karma (कर्म) — object of ‘kuryāt’
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka, Dvitīyā Ekavacana

• kuryāt: should do
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ कृ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama-puruṣa Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• nadī-jale: in river water
• nadī-jale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) — location
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक) + jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka, Saptamī (Locative/सप्तमी) Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘in river-water’

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Dharmaśāstra Interface
• Intangible Cultural Heritage

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It records a codified day-based purification practice, useful for comparing Purāṇic ritual prescriptions with Dharmaśāstra and regional custom.

Which geographic location is identified?

A river (nadī) is specified generically; no named river is given in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Maintain ritual cleanliness and social order through timed purificatory acts after death, presented as a regulated cultural practice.