Varaha Purana 112.28: Adhyaya 112, Shloka 28

Praise and Procedure of Donating the Two-Faced Kapilā Cow and the Golden Pot

Hema-kumbha

Pūrva Bhāga · Go-dāna (Care of the gift; timing and suitability)

Devanagari script

आसन्नप्रसवां धेनुं दानार्थं प्रतिपालयेत ॥ कपिलार्द्धप्रसूता वै दातव्या च द्विजन्मने ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 112.28

Transliteration

āsanna-prasavāṃ dhenuṃ dānārthaṃ pratipālayet || kapilārddha-prasūtā vai dātavyā ca dvijan-mane ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

Man soll eine Kuh, die nahe am Kalben ist, zum Zweck der Gabe (dāna) pflegen; und eine kapilā, eine fahlbraune Kuh, die kürzlich gekalbt hat, ist wahrlich einem Dvija (Zweimalgeborenen) zu schenken.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• आसन्न-प्रसवाम्: near to calving
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd—द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); adjective to धेनुम्; 'having near delivery'
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: आसन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसवा (प्रातिपदिक)

• धेनुम्: a cow
• Type: Noun
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd—द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)

• दान-अर्थम्: for donation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) used adverbially; 'for the purpose of giving'
• Role: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)

• प्रतिपालयेत्: should tend/maintain
• Type: Verb
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: प्रति√पाल् (धातु)

• कपिला-अर्द्ध-प्रसूता: a tawny/kapilā cow, having (recently) calved
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective referring to धेनुः (understood); 'having half (its body) tawny; having calved' / 'partly tawny, having given birth'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: कपिला (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसूता (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Particle (निपात) for emphasis/indeed
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Root: वै (अव्यय)

• दातव्या: should be given
• Type: Verb
• Form: Gerundive/Obligative participle (तव्यत्-कृदन्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'to be given' (agreeing with धेनुः understood)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: √दा (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• द्विजन्मने: to a twice-born (Brahmin)
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th—चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); 'twice-born'
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Root: द्विजन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• आसन्न + प्रसवाम् → आसन्नप्रसवाम्
• दान + अर्थम् → दानार्थम् (avya yībhāva)
• कपिला + अर्द्ध + प्रसूता → कपिलार्द्धप्रसूता
• द्विजन्मने is dative singular of द्विजन्मन्

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Karuna rasa

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Dharma-ethics of dāna

Subjects

EthicsRitual practiceAnimal stewardship

Core idea

Dāna is not mere transfer of property; it requires ahiṃsā, caretaking, and fitness of the gift to become puṇya-bearing.

In practice

Before gifting a cow, ensure humane upkeep, health, and suitability (especially around calving), and choose a qualified dvija recipient.

The Varaha avatara

With the Earth

Instructional address within Varāha–Pṛthivī framework

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Dharma-śāstra Discourse
• Go-dāna
• Pastoral Culture

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It documents practical norms around go-dāna, indicating that the gift is not merely symbolic but involves care, timing, and suitability.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is mentioned.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

A gift should be responsibly prepared—through prior care—and offered in a form considered appropriate within the text’s ritual-ethical framework.