Varaha Purana 14.4: Adhyaya 14, Shloka 4

Ritual Procedure for Śrāddha: Sequence, Eligibility, and Offerings to Ancestors

Pūrva Bhāga · Śrāddha–Dharma (Ritual Ethics and Ancestor Rites)

Devanagari script

पञ्चाग्न्यभिरतं चैव शिष्यं संबन्धिनं तथा । मातापितॄरतं चैव एताञ्छ्राद्धे नियोजयेत् ॥ १४.४ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 14.4

Transliteration

pañcāgnyabhirataṃ caiva śiṣyaṃ saṃbandhinaṃ tathā | mātāpitṝrataṃ caiva etāñ chrāddhe niyojayet || 14.4 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

ในพิธีศราทธะควรมอบหมายแก่ผู้ตั้งมั่นในปัญจัคนี ศิษย์ ญาติ และผู้ขยันรับใช้มารดาบิดาด้วย।

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Word by Word

• पञ्चाग्न्यभिरतम्: devoted to the five fires (pañcāgni)
• Type: Adjective
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पञ्चाग्निषु अभिरतः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied person)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: पञ्चाग्नि + अभिरत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• एव: indeed/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/निश्चय (emphasis: indeed/just)
• Role: Nipata (निपात)
• Root: एव (अव्यय)

• शिष्यम्: disciple
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• सम्बन्धिनम्: a relative/connected person
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: सम्बन्धिन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• तथा: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (also)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)

• मातापितृ-रतम्: devoted to mother and father
• Type: Adjective
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (माता च पितरौ च); ततः ‘मातापितृ’ इति; ‘रतम्’ इति विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: माता + पितृ + रत (प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• एव: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)
• Role: Nipata (निपात)
• Root: एव (अव्यय)

• एतान्: these (persons)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• श्राद्धे: in the śrāddha rite
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)

• नियोजयेत्: should appoint/engage
• Type: Verb
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: नियुज् (धातु)

Sandhi Notes

• चैव = च + एव
• एताञ्छ्राद्धे = एतान् + श्राद्धे (न् + श् → ञ्छ्). मातापितॄरतं interpreted as मातापितृ-रतम् (dvandva base + adjective)

Speaker and setting

Shanta rasaSetting: Ritual space (gṛha or yajña-śālā)

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Ethics of purity and merit-transfer

Subjects

EthicsRitual PracticeSocial Duty

Core idea

Ritual fruit depends on the moral-ascetic quality (guṇa) of participants; filial devotion is itself a purifier akin to tapas.

In practice

When organizing rites, prioritize participants known for disciplined daily duties (agnihotra/pañcāgni) and for caring for parents; treat discipleship and kinship as responsibility, not entitlement.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Dharma Discourse
• Vaishnavism
• Sanskrit Ritual Texts

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a Purāṇic codification of śrāddha procedure, emphasizing socially recognized markers of discipline and ethical reliability (Vedic fire-practice, teacher–student lineage, kinship responsibility, and filial devotion).

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific geographic site is named in this verse; it focuses on eligibility/selection of persons for the śrāddha rite rather than sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse prioritizes moral and disciplinary qualifications—ascetic/ritual steadiness and filial responsibility—when selecting individuals to be engaged in a commemorative ancestral rite.