Varaha Purana 47.5 — Adhyaya 47, Shloka 5

The Rite of Śrāvaṇa Bright-Fortnight Dvādaśī (Dāmodara Worship) and the Exemplum of King Nṛga

Devanagari script

काञ्चनं देवदेवं तु दामोदरसनामकम् । तमभ्यर्च्य विधानॆन गन्धपुष्पादिभिः क्रमात् ॥ ४७.५ ॥

Transliteration

kāñcanaṃ devadevaṃ tu dāmodarasanāmakam | tam abhyarcya vidhānena gandhapuṣpādibhiḥ kramāt || 47.5 ||

Translation

Dann soll man nach der vorgeschriebenen Ordnung den goldenen „Gott der Götter“, mit Namen Dāmodara, mit Düften, Blumen und weiteren Gaben der Reihe nach verehren.

Word by Word

• kāñcanam: golden (made of gold)
• kāñcanam: Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāñcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); used adjectivally

• devadevam: the God of gods
• devadevam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां देवः)

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अन्वय/विरोध)

• dāmodarasanāmakam: named ‘Dāmodara’
• dāmodarasanāmakam: Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dāmodara + sanāmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: ‘दामोदर-नामकः’ (named Dāmodara)

• tam: him/that (deity)
• tam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• abhyarcya: having worshipped
• abhyarcya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi + √arc (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त), having worshipped

• vidhānena: according to the prescribed procedure
• vidhānena: Karaṇa (करण/instrument, manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• gandhapuṣpādibhiḥ: with scents, flowers, and the like
• gandhapuṣpādibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha + puṣpa + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (प्रयोगे बहुवचन-तृतीया), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); समाहार/आदि-समासप्रायः: ‘fragrances, flowers, etc.’

• kramāt: in due sequence
• kramāt: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative used adverbially (पञ्चमी-अव्ययीभावप्रयोगः), ‘in order/step by step’

Speaker

Varāha (default speaker per dialogue framework; not explicit in fragment)

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"None","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"None"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"Dāmodara name evokes later Vraja/Kṛṣṇa līlā associations, but this verse itself is ritual-iconic rather than Mathurā-topographic."}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"dana","instruction_summary":"Worship the golden Deva-deva Dāmodara by vidhi with sequential upacāras (gandha, puṣpa, etc.).","karmic_consequence":"Proper upacāra-krama yields devotional merit and ritual completeness; omission/irreverence reduces the rite’s fruit."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":true,"vrata_name":"Dāmodara-pūjā (golden icon worship within the Śrāvaṇa observance described)","tithi_month":"Śrāvaṇa (month-based; tithi not specified here)","promised_fruit":"Bhakti-puṇya and pāpa-kṣaya through worship of Dāmodara with prescribed offerings."}

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":"bhakti through arcā-sevā","core_concept":"The transcendent is approached through disciplined, loving service to the arcā form, using ordered offerings.","practical_application":"Offer gandha and puṣpa in sequence with attention and purity; treat the icon as living presence (sākṣāt-sevā-bhāva)."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ritual Practice","Vaishnavism","Material Culture","Sacred Procedure"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: śānta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual_space

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 47.47.4 (kumbha preparation); Varāha Purāṇa 47.47.6-7 (dāna to brāhmaṇa; Śrāvaṇa framing; pāpa-kṣaya)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A golden image of Dāmodara being worshipped with fragrance and flowers in a prescribed sequence; attendants/priest offering gandha and puṣpa before the icon.","item_prompts":["golden Dāmodara icon (standing Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa form)","flower garlands and loose blossoms","sandal paste (gandha) bowl","ārati lamp","conch and bell","ordered offering trays"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stylized golden Dāmodara with bold outlines, priest offering sandal paste and flowers, rich ornamental borders, temple-lamp glow.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: Dāmodara icon with heavy gold-leaf, embossed jewelry, bright floral offerings, symmetrical composition with ornate arch (prabhāmaṇḍala).","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined Dāmodara with soft modeling, delicate hands offering gandha/puṣpa, detailed textiles and brass vessels, calm devotional ambience.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: intimate worship scene, slender figures, pastel background, Dāmodara icon framed by simple shrine, flowers emphasized with lyrical delicacy."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional, orderly","suggested_raga":"Yaman (serene devotion) or Kalyani (uplift)","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"warm, reverent, precise"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Ritual
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Iconography

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects Purāṇic-era ritual standardization, indicating a structured sequence (krama) of offerings and the use of material descriptors (kāñcana) that align with historical practices of temple/icon veneration.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is explicitly named in this verse fragment; it focuses on ritual procedure rather than sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse emphasizes disciplined practice—performing acts with procedural care (vidhāna) and orderly conduct (kramāt)—as a general philosophical instruction toward attentive, regulated action.