Varaha Purana 187.75: Adhyaya 187, Shloka 75

Determination of the Origin and Procedure of the Ancestral Offering

Pitṛyajña/Śrāddha

Devanagari script

कृतः स्वयम्भुवा पूर्वं श्राद्धं यो वित्तवित्तमः ॥ शृण्वतो नारदस्यापि विधिं विधिविदां वरः ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 187.75

Transliteration

kṛtaḥ svayambhuvā pūrvaṁ śrāddhaṁ yo vittavittamaḥ || śṛṇvato nāradasyāpi vidhiṁ vidhividāṁ varaḥ ||

Translation

กาลก่อน ศราทธะได้ถูกสถาปนาโดยสวยัมภู (พระพรหม) ผู้เลิศที่สุดในหมู่ผู้มั่งคั่ง; และผู้ยอดเยี่ยมในหมู่ผู้รู้พิธีกรรมได้อธิบายระเบียบพิธีนั้น แม้นารทก็กำลังสดับอยู่

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Word by Word

• कृतः: was done / performed
• कृतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्वयम्भुवा: by Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• स्वयम्भुवा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम्भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/कर्तृ-करण), एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly/before)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपेण (performed rite)

• यः: who / which
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• वित्तवित्तमः: best among the wealthy / most affluent
• वित्तवित्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वित्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (यः); कर्मधारय-समास (वित्तं एव वित्तमः/श्रेष्ठः)

• शृण्वतः: of (him) listening
• शृण्वतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (नारदस्य) विशेषण

• नारदस्य: of Nārada
• नारदस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• विधिम्: procedure / rule
• विधिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• विधिविदाम्: of the knowers of ritual rules
• विधिविदाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक: विद्वस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विधिं विदन्ति ये)

• वरः: the best / excellent one
• वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Varāha (default narrative voice, speaker not explicit in fragment)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Ritual Studies

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a Purāṇic etiology for śrāddha, attributing its establishment to Svayambhū, which is a common method for anchoring ritual practice in primordial time.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic reference appears in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

To treat ancestral rites as a learned, rule-governed practice transmitted through qualified instruction and careful listening.