Varaha Purana 119.8 — Adhyaya 119, Shloka 8

Ritual Regulations on Permissible Foods for Offering and Consumption

Devanagari script

धर्मचिल्लिकशाकं च सुगन्धं रक्तमालिकौ ॥ दीर्घशालिमहाशाली वरकुङ्कुममाक्षिकौ ॥

Transliteration

dharma-cillika-śākaṁ ca sugandhaṁ rakta-mālikau || dīrgha-śāli-mahā-śālī vara-kuṅkumam-ākṣikau

Translation

‘(এইবোৰ) ধৰ্ম-চিল্লিকা শাক, আৰু সুগন্ধ আৰু ৰক্ত-মালিকা (নামৰ প্ৰকাৰ); (আৰু) দীৰ্ঘ-শালী আৰু মহা-শালী; আৰু বৰ-কুঙ্কুম আৰু আক্ষিক (নামৰ প্ৰকাৰ)।’

Word by Word

• dharma-cillika-śākam: dharma-cillika vegetable/green (a named herb)
• dharma-cillika-śākam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + cillika (प्रातिपदिक) + śāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Determinative compound (तत्पुरुष; multi-member), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय अव्यय)

• sugandham: fragrant (one)
• sugandham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sugandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); used as item-name/qualifier

• rakta-mālikau: the two ‘red-mālikā’ varieties
• rakta-mālikau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + mālikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Descriptive compound (कर्मधारय), Dual (द्विवचन), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा) / Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया) dual (syncretic); item in list

• dīrgha-śāli-mahā-śālī: Dīrghaśāli and Mahāśālī (two rice types)
• dīrgha-śāli-mahā-śālī: Karta (कर्ता) / item-listing
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक) + śāli (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + śālī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Copulative compound (द्वन्द्व) of two rice-names: dīrghaśāli + mahāśālī; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

• vara-kuṅkumam-ākṣikau: Varakuṅkuma and Ākṣika (two varieties)
• vara-kuṅkumam-ākṣikau: Karta (कर्ता) / item-listing
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + kuṅkuma (प्रातिपदिक) + ākṣika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Copulative compound (द्वन्द्व) understood as two items: varakuṅkuma + ākṣika; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

Speaker

Varāha (contextual continuation)

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"Continues teaching by naming specific greens and rice varieties deemed suitable for ritual use."}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"attentive, learning classifications of ritual foods","key_question":"What are the named varieties of śāli (rice) and related greens that qualify as karmya for rites?"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"None","instruction_summary":"Use the specified plant/seed varieties (greens and śāli types) as approved ritual ingredients.","karmic_consequence":"Correct ingredients support purity and intended ritual fruit; substitution with improper items may incur doṣa or reduce merit."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"dharma as order (niyama)","core_concept":"Dharma operationalizes sacredness through careful distinctions even in everyday staples like grains and greens.","practical_application":"Maintain discernment in offerings: procure clean, appropriate varieties and avoid careless mixing in sacred acts."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ritual Practice","Agriculture","Ethnobotany (textual)"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: śānta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: agrarian-cultural sphere (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 119.7 (announcement of rice suitability); Varāha Purāṇa 119.9 (additional varieties and yāvaka)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A didactic tableau where the named varieties are visually represented as labeled heaps/bundles before Varāha and Bhū-devī.","item_prompts":["bundles of leafy greens (śāka)","multiple rice heaps labeled (Sugandha, Rakta-mālikā, Dīrgha-śāli, Mahā-śālī, Vara-kuṅkuma, Ākṣika)","measuring bowl","altar cloth"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stylized botanical forms and patterned rice heaps; Varāha and Bhū-devī in profile; strong outlines and earthy palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: ornate gold accents on vessels; rice heaps as decorative mounds; inscriptions on small plaques naming varieties.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: naturalistic grains and greens with refined detailing; calm instructional posture; soft background.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: miniature-style still-life of grains/greens in the foreground; teacher-disciple figures behind; delicate labeling motifs."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"enumerative, steady","suggested_raga":"Bhairav (grave clarity for lists)","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"crisp articulation for proper names"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Ritual Ingredient Lists
• Historical Agronomy (textual)

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

Such lists preserve names of crop and plant varieties, offering data points for historians of agriculture and for philological comparison with Ayurvedic and regional agronomic vocabularies.

Which geographic location is identified?

No explicit geographic location is named; the verse is taxonomic rather than topographical.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

To use appropriate and recognized varieties for offerings, reflecting an ethic of suitability and care in material selection.