Varaha Purana 104.16: Adhyaya 104, Shloka 16

The Eulogy and Procedure of the ‘Honey-Cow’ Gift

Madhudhenudāna

Devanagari script

यत्र नद्यो मधुवहा यत्र पायसकर्दमाः ॥ ऋषयो मुनयः सिद्धास्तत्र गच्छन्ति धेनुदाः ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 104.16

Transliteration

yatra nadyo madhuvahā yatra pāyasakardamāḥ || ṛṣayo munayaḥ siddhās tatra gacchanti dhenudāḥ ||

Translation

Wo die Flüsse Honig führen, wo der Schlamm Milchreis ist, dorthin gehen die ṛṣis, die munis und die siddhas; dorthin gelangen auch die, welche die dhenu, die Kuhgabe, spenden.

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Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (relative adverb: where)

• नद्यः: rivers
• नद्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; प्रथमा (nominative)

• मधुवहाः: carrying honey
• मधुवहाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधु + वह (धातु) → मधुवह (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मधु वहन्ति); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; प्रथमा; विशेषणम् (qualifies नद्यः)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• पायसकर्दमाः: (places with) rice-pudding mud/slush
• पायसकर्दमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस + कर्दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (पायस-रूपाः कर्दमाः); पुल्लिङ्ग; बहुवचन; प्रथमा

• ऋषयः: seers
• ऋषयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; बहुवचन; प्रथमा

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; बहुवचन; प्रथमा

• सिद्धाः: Siddhas (perfected beings)
• सिद्धाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; बहुवचन; प्रथमा

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• गच्छन्ति: go
• गच्छन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• धेनुदाः: givers of cows
• धेनुदाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु + दा (धातु) → धेनुद (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धेनुं ददाति); पुल्लिङ्ग; बहुवचन; प्रथमा

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Cosmography
• Merit Literature
• Vaiṣṇava Traditions

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies Purāṇic ‘phala-śruti’ style, using idealized landscape imagery to communicate ethical incentives and cosmological imagination.

Which geographic location is identified?

No terrestrial site is identified; the verse describes an idealized otherworldly or mythic realm.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Generosity (dāna) is presented as a pathway to elevated states of association—symbolized by proximity to ṛṣis, munis, and siddhas.