Varaha Purana 165.41 — Adhyaya 165, Shloka 41
The Glory of Mathurā: The Account of Piṇḍa-Offering at the Catuḥsāmudrika Well
मित्रेण च पुनः प्रोक्तं यथाशक्त्या प्रदीयताम् ॥ तदा मित्रमसङ्गेन दत्तो वै स्वर्णमाषकः
mitreṇa ca punaḥ proktaṃ yathāśaktyā pradīyatām || tadā mitram asaṅgena datto vai svarṇamāṣakaḥ
বন্ধু আবার বলল—“যথাশক্তি দান করা হোক।” তখন সেই বন্ধু অনাসক্তভাবে সত্যই একটি স্বর্ণ-মাষক (ছোট সোনার মুদ্রা) দিল।
Unspecified narrator (default dialogue frame: Varāha)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"How should charity be given—what is the proper measure and inner attitude (yathāśakti, asakti-rahita)?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"dana","instruction_summary":"Give according to one’s capacity (yathāśakti) and without attachment (asaṅga), even if the gift is small (e.g., a māṣaka).","karmic_consequence":"Such detached giving accrues merit disproportionate to its material size; attachmentless dāna supports auspicious post-mortem destiny."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"Ethics of action (karma-yoga tone)","core_concept":"The inner disposition (non-attachment) sanctifies action; adequacy is measured by capacity, not quantity.","practical_application":"Practice regular giving within means; consciously relinquish pride, expectation, and possessiveness at the moment of donation."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Non-attachment","Charitable Practice"]
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: karuṇa
Type: None
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 165 (preta-narrative on dāna/śrāddha omissions leading to preta-state)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A modest donor-friend offers a tiny gold māṣaka with a calm, unattached demeanor, illustrating ‘give as you can’.","item_prompts":["small gold coin (māṣaka)","open palm giving gesture","simple clothing (non-royal)","serene face (asaṅga)","listener receiving counsel"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: warm earthy palette, stylized figures; a calm giver extending a small gold coin, minimal background, emphasis on hand-gesture and composed eyes.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: central figure offering a tiny gold coin; ornate but restrained halo/border; gold-leaf accents highlighting the coin and hand ornaments lightly.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: delicate linework; intimate indoor setting; subtle shading on the coin and hands; quiet devotional-ethical mood.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: small courtly vignette; gentle hills or plain backdrop; emphasis on narrative gesture—coin exchange and attentive listener."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"Didactic, reflective","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"clear, instructive, restrained"}
FAQs
It preserves a practical ethic of proportional giving (yathāśakti) and references monetary terminology (māṣaka), useful for cultural-economic contextualization.
No location is named here; the narrative context later introduces Mathurā.
Give within one’s means, and give without attachment—an ethic framed as socially actionable rather than purely ascetic.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Varaha Purana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.