Varaha Purana 71.44: Adhyaya 71, Shloka 44

Vision of the Trimūrti in Rudra, the Gautama Curse, the Manifestation of the Godāvarī, and the Niḥśvāsa-saṃhitā Account

Devanagari script

एतां प्राप्य कलौ ब्रह्मन् गां ददन्ति जनाश्च ये । यथाशक्त्या तु दानानि मोदन्ते त्रिदशैः सह ॥ ७१.४४ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 71.44

Transliteration

etāṃ prāpya kalau brahman gāṃ dadanti janāś ca ye | yathāśaktyā tu dānāni modante tridaśaiḥ saha || 71.44 ||

Translation

O Brahmane, wer im Kali-Zeitalter dieses Verdienst erlangt und eine Kuh verschenkt, und Gaben nach seiner Kraft darbringt, der freut sich zusammen mit den Tridaśas, den Göttern.

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Word by Word

• एताम्: this (her/this one)
• एताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally)

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having obtained/reached’

• कलौ: in Kali (age)
• कलौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin / O sage
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (vocative), एकवचन

• गाम्: a cow
• गाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• ददन्ति: they give
• ददन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• यथा-शक्त्या: according to (one’s) ability
• यथा-शक्त्या: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; समस्तं अव्ययवत्; अर्थः ‘शक्त्यानुसारम्’ (according to ability)

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/contrast)

• दानानि: gifts/charities
• दानानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• मोदन्ते: they rejoice
• मोदन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• त्रिदशैः: with the gods (thirty)
• त्रिदशैः: Sahakaraka (सह/साकं)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (सह/करण), बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (postposition meaning ‘with’)

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework)

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Dharma-śāstra themes
• Gift-economy ethics

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic ethical motif: in Kali Yuga, merit is framed as accessible through attainable acts such as charity, especially gifts made in proportion to one’s means.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific sacred geography is named in this verse; it is a general ethical statement about giving in Kali Yuga.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

To practice dāna—especially gā-dāna (the gifting of a cow) and other gifts—according to one’s capacity (yathāśaktyā), emphasizing proportional generosity rather than extravagance.