Varaha Purana 13.35: Adhyaya 13, Shloka 35

The Genealogy of the Pitṛs and the Determination of Śrāddha Times

Pūrva Bhāga · Śrāddha-vidhi (Ritual Ethics and Ancestral Offerings)

Devanagari script

श्राद्धस्य कालान् वक्ष्यामि तान् शृणुष्व द्विजोत्तम । श्राद्धार्हमागतं द्रव्यं विशिष्टमथवा द्विजम् ॥ १३.३५ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 13.35

Transliteration

śrāddhasya kālān vakṣyāmi tān śṛṇuṣva dvijottama | śrāddhārham āgataṃ dravyaṃ viśiṣṭam athavā dvijam || 13.35 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

“Ta sẽ nói về những thời điểm thích hợp cho lễ śrāddha; hãy lắng nghe, hỡi bậc tối thượng trong hàng nhị sinh. (Nên cử hành) khi đã có được vật phẩm/tài vật xứng đáng cho śrāddha, hoặc khi một vị nhị sinh ưu tú (khách quý) đến.”

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Word by Word

• śrāddhasya: of the śrāddha rite
• Type: Noun
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th), Singular
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)

• kālān: times/occasions
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)

• vakṣyāmi: I shall tell
• Type: Verb
• Form: Future (लृट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular; Parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: vac (धातु)

• tān: those
• Type: Noun
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural; refers to kālān
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• śṛṇuṣva: listen
• Type: Verb
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular; Ātmanepada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया/Command)
• Root: śru (धातु)

• dvijottama: O best of twice-born
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th), Singular; karmadhāraya: uttamaḥ dvijaḥ
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Root: dvija + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)

• śrāddha-arham: fit for śrāddha
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; tatpuruṣa: śrāddhasya arham = ‘fit for śrāddha’
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Root: śrāddha + arha (प्रातिपदिक)

• āgatam: that has come/arrived
• Type: Verb
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past active participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative, Singular; agrees with dravyam
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Root: ā + gam (धातु)

• dravyam: substance/wealth (offering material)
• Type: Noun
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: dravya (प्रातिपदिक)

• viśiṣṭam: excellent/special
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifies dravyam
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Root: vi + śiṣ (धातु)

• athavā: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya, disjunctive conjunction (विकल्प)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)

• dvijam: a Brahmin/twice-born (person)
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• śrāddhārham = śrāddha + arham (sandhi: a + a → ā)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Karuna rasaSetting: Domestic-ritual setting

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Curious, seeking dharma-guidance

What she asks

When should śrāddha be performed, and what occasions make it timely and efficacious?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Dharma (pitṛ-ṛṇa and atithi-dharma)

Subjects

EthicsRitual PracticeDharma-shastra

Core idea

Ritual duty is opportunity-sensitive: capacity (dṛavya) and the arrival of worthy recipients (dvija/atithi) create dharmic ‘right time’.

In practice

Keep resources and intention ready for pitṛ rites; honor qualified guests promptly, converting circumstance into merit.

The Varaha avatara

With the Earth

Instructional address within the Varāha dialogue-frame.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Ritual Ethics
• Vaishnavism

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a Dharma-oriented, procedural framing of śrāddha by linking the rite to appropriate timing and eligibility, aligning Purāṇic instruction with broader Sanskrit ritual-discourse found in Dharmaśāstra traditions.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse; the focus is on ritual timing and qualifying conditions rather than sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse emphasizes disciplined observance: perform śrāddha at proper times, especially when suitable resources are available or when a worthy learned guest arrives—highlighting preparedness and respectful hospitality as ethical priorities.