Varaha Purana - Adhyaya 110
Varaha PuranaAdhyaya 11022 Shlokas

Adhyaya 110: The Glory and Procedure of the Grain-Cow (Dhānyadhenu) Donation

Dhānyadhenu-dāna-māhātmya

Ritual-Manual (Dāna-vidhi) with Soteriological Merit Discourse

En el marco didáctico Varāha–Pṛthivī, se instruye a un rey sobre el māhātmya y el rito exacto de la dhānyadhenu, una vaca modelada con grano, especialmente arroz. Se señalan ocasiones propicias como el viṣuva, las transiciones de ayana y el mes de Kārttika, afirmando que donar una vṛhidhenu equivale o supera múltiples donaciones de vacas. Se prescribe la confección: colocarla sobre piel de antílope negro, consagrarla en suelo untado con estiércol de vaca, dar medidas proporcionales a la vaca y al ternero, y adornarla con oro/plata y sustancias fragantes. Luego el donante realiza adoración, circunvalación, postración y la fórmula formal de entrega a un brāhmaṇa erudito, obteniendo purificación de pecados, prosperidad, longevidad, ascenso al cielo y, finalmente, un estado excelso.

Speakers

VarāhaPṛthivī

Key Concepts

dhānyadhenu-dāna (vṛhidhenupradāna)puṇyakāla timing (viṣuva, ayana, Kārttika)ritual fabrication and iconography of a grain-cowbrāhmaṇa recipient qualifications (veda-vedāṅga-pāraga)pradakṣiṇā, daṇḍavat-praṇāma, and dāna-mantra framingsin-removal metaphor (like the moon freed from Rāhu)bhukti–mukti rhetoric (worldly welfare and liberation)
Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana Adhyaya 110

Shlokas in Adhyaya 110

Verse 1

अथ धान्यधेनुदानमाहात्म्यम् ॥ होतोवाच ॥ शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि धान्यधेनुमनुत्तमाम् ॥ यस्याः सङ्कीर्तनादेव सा तुष्येत् पार्वती स्वयम्

Ahora (sigue) el relato exaltado de la ofrenda de la dhānyadhenu, la vaca de granos. Dijo el Hotṛ: Escucha, oh Rey; expondré la insuperable dhānyadhenu, cuya sola recitación complace a la propia Pārvatī.

Verse 2

विषुवे चायने वापि कार्त्तिक्यां तु विशेषतः ॥ यां दत्त्वा मुच्यते पापाच्छशाङ्क इव राहुणा

En el equinoccio o en el solsticio, y especialmente en Kārttikā: al darla, uno queda liberado del pecado, como la luna del agarre de Rāhu.

Verse 3

तदिदानीं प्रवक्ष्यामि धान्यधेनुविधिं परम् । दशधेनुप्रदानेन यत्फलं राजसत्तम ॥ तत्सर्वमेव प्राप्नोति व्रीहिधेनुप्रदानतः ॥

Ahora expondré el supremo rito de la ofrenda de la “vaca de grano” (dhānya-dhenu). Oh el mejor de los reyes, todo el mérito que se obtiene al donar diez vacas, se alcanza íntegramente al ofrecer una vaca formada de arroz (grano).

Verse 4

कृष्णाजिनं ततः कृत्वा प्राग्वत्सं स्थापयेद्बुधः । गोमयेनानुलिप्तायां भूमौ तां परिपूजयेत् ॥

Luego, tras preparar una piel de antílope negro (kṛṣṇājina), el sabio debe colocar el ternero mirando al oriente. Y sobre suelo untado con estiércol de vaca, debe rendírsele la debida adoración (a la ofrenda construida).

Verse 5

उत्तमा तु भवेद्धेनुर्द्रोणैश्चापि चतुष्टयैः । मध्यमा च तदर्धेन वित्तशाठ्यं न कारयेत् ॥

La “vaca” de la ofrenda se considera excelente cuando se hace con cuatro droṇas (de grano); la de grado medio, con la mitad de ello. No debe practicarse la mezquindad respecto a la riqueza en tal donación.

Verse 6

चतुर्थांशेन वत्सं तु कल्पयित्वा विधानतः । चतुर्थांशेन धेनोर्वै वत्सं तु परिकल्पयेत् ॥

Conforme a la prescripción, habiendo modelado el ternero en la proporción de una cuarta parte, en verdad debe construirse el ternero como una cuarta parte de la medida de la vaca.

Verse 7

कर्तव्यौ रुक्मशृङ्गौ तु राजतखुरसंयुतौ । गोमेदैः कुर्वीत घ्राणं अगुरुं चन्दनं तथा ॥

Deben hacerse cuernos de oro y pezuñas unidas con plata. La nariz ha de hacerse con gemas de gomeda; asimismo, dispónganse aguru y sándalo (candana).

Verse 8

मुक्ताफलमया दन्ता घृतक्षौद्रमयं मुखम् । प्रशस्तपत्रश्रवणं कांस्यदोहणकारिताम् ॥

Sus dientes deben ser de perlas; su boca, de ghee y miel. Debe tener orejas formadas como hojas excelentes, y ha de hacerse con un recipiente de bronce para el ordeño.

Verse 9

इक्षुपृष्ठिमयाः पादाः क्षौम्यपुच्छसमन्विताम् । नानाफलसमोपेतां रत्नगर्भसमन्विताम् ॥

Sus patas deben ser de tallos de caña de azúcar; debe estar provista de una cola de lino. Ha de estar acompañada de diversos frutos y dotada de un ‘vientre’ interior que contenga joyas.

Verse 10

पूर्ववच्चार्चयित्वा तां कृत्वा दीपार्चनादिकम् । पुण्यकालं च सम्प्राप्य स्नातः शुक्लाम्बरो गृही ॥

Habiéndola adorado como se prescribió antes, y habiendo realizado la ofrenda de lámparas y los ritos conexos, y al llegar el tiempo propicio, el cabeza de familia—bañado y vestido de blanco—debe proceder.

Verse 11

त्रिः प्रदक्षिणमावृत्य दण्डवत्प्रणमेच्च ताम् । त्वं हि विप्र महाभाग वेदवेदाङ्गपारग ॥

Tras circunvalarla tres veces, debe también postrarse por completo ante ella. «Pues tú, oh brāhmaṇa afortunado, eres consumado en el Veda y en sus disciplinas auxiliares.»

Verse 12

मया दत्तां च गृह्णीष्व प्रसीद त्वं द्विजोत्तम । प्रीयतां मम देवेशो भगवान्मधुसूदनः ॥

«Acepta esto que yo he dado y muéstrate propicio, oh el mejor de los dos veces nacidos. Que se complazca el Señor de mi devoción, Bhagavān Madhusūdana.»

Verse 13

या च लक्ष्मीस्तु गोविन्दे स्वाहा या च विभावसौ ॥ शक्रे शचीति विख्याता शिवे गौरी च संस्थिता

Ella que es Lakṣmī en Govinda, que es Svāhā en Vibhāvasu (Agni); la célebre Śacī en Śakra (Indra), y la que mora como Gaurī en Śiva: esa misma Diosa es proclamada en múltiples formas.

Verse 14

गायत्री ब्रह्मणः प्रोक्ता ज्योत्स्ना चन्द्रे रवॆः प्रभा ॥ बुद्धिर्बृहस्पतेः ख्यातं मेधा मुनिषु सत्तमा

Se la declara Gāyatrī para Brahmā; es la luz lunar en la Luna y el resplandor en el Sol. Es conocida como inteligencia en Bṛhaspati, y como la excelsa medhā entre los sabios.

Verse 15

तस्मात्सर्वमयी देवी धान्यरूपेण संस्थिता ॥ एवमुच्चार्य तां धेनुं ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत्

Por ello, la Diosa, que lo abarca todo, queda establecida en la forma del grano. Habiendo recitado así, debe ofrecerse esa ‘vaca’ (hecha de grano) a un brāhmaṇa.

Verse 16

दत्त्वा प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा तं क्षमाप्य द्विजोत्तमम् ॥ यावच्च पृथिवी सर्वा वसुरत्नानि भूपते

Habiendo dado (la ofrenda), habiendo realizado la pradakṣiṇā (circunvalación), y habiendo pedido perdón a ese mejor de los dos veces nacidos (brāhmaṇa)—hasta donde se extiende toda la tierra con sus tesoros y joyas, oh rey—

Verse 17

तावत्पुण्यं समधिकं व्रीहिधेनोश्च तत्फलम् ॥ तस्मान्नरेन्द्र दातव्या भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदा

Tan grande—más aún, superior—es el mérito (puṇya) y el fruto correspondiente de la vrīhi-dhenu, la ‘vaca’ de arroz. Por ello, oh rey de los hombres, debe ser dada, pues otorga los frutos del goce mundano (bhukti) y de la liberación (mukti).

Verse 18

इहलोके च सौभाग्यमायुरारोग्यवर्द्धनम् ॥ विमानॆनार्कवर्णेन किङ्किणीजालमालिना

En este mundo, otorga buena fortuna y acrecienta la longevidad y la salud; y el donante avanza en un vimāna celestial, de color solar, adornado con una red de pequeñas campanillas.

Verse 19

ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टो जम्बूद्वीपपतिर्भवेत् ॥ एवं हरेण चोद्गीर्णं श्रुत्वा वाक्यं नरोत्तमः

Luego, caído del cielo, llega a ser señor de Jambūdvīpa. Habiendo oído así la declaración pronunciada por Hari, aquel mejor de los hombres—

Verse 20

सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा रुद्रलोके महीयते

Con el ser purificado de todos los pecados, es honrado en Rudraloka.

Verse 21

पादुकोपानहच्छत्रभाजनं तर्पणं तथा ॥ अङ्गं तु पूर्ववत्कार्यं मुखं क्षौद्रमयं शुभम्

(Ofrézcanse) sandalias, calzado, una sombrilla, un recipiente y también una ofrenda de tarpaṇa; y el cuerpo debe hacerse como antes, mientras que el rostro ha de ser auspicioso y hecho de miel (o de una sustancia dulce semejante).

Verse 22

स्तूयमानोऽप्सरोभिश्च स याति शिवमन्दिरम् ॥ यावच्च स्मरते जन्म तावत्स्वर्गे महीयते

Alabado por las apsarases, va a la morada de Śiva; y mientras recuerde (su) nacimiento, por todo ese tiempo es honrado en el cielo.

Inside Adhyaya 110

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī instructional frame, the discourse turns to dāna as a disciplined agrarian ethic. A royal addressee (“rājan”) is positioned as the exemplary donor, and the speaker introduces the māhātmya of the dhānyadhenu (grain-cow), foregrounding auspicious timing (viṣuva, ayana-sandhi, Kārttika) and the claim that this gift rivals or exceeds multiple cow-gifts.

  2. Central event

    A step-by-step ritual manual is delivered: the dhānyadhenu (especially vṛhidhenu made of rice) is fabricated with precise proportions for cow and calf, installed on a black antelope skin, and consecrated on a cow-dung-smeared, purified ground. The figure is ornamented with gold/silver elements and fragrant substances, then worshipped with formal acts (pūjā, pradakṣiṇā, daṇḍavat-praṇāma) and concluded with a prescribed gifting formula to a qualified brāhmaṇa (veda–vedāṅga-pāraga).

  3. Climax resolution

    The climax is the formal moment of transfer—mantra-framed donation of the fully consecrated grain-cow to the learned brāhmaṇa—after which the text resolves the ritual’s efficacy through vivid merit-claims: sins are removed (likened to the moon freed from Rāhu), and the donor is stabilized in prosperity, longevity, and auspiciousness.

  4. Closing phalashruti

    Phalaśruti-style assurances: purification from pāpa, increase of wealth and grain, long life, heavenly ascent (svarga and higher divine abodes such as Rudraloka/Śiva-mandira), and eventual exalted status culminating in bhukti–mukti rhetoric (worldly enjoyment and ultimate liberation).

Geographical context

No explicit terrestrial toponyms are named in these verses; cosmological regions and destinations are referenced: svarga, Rudraloka, Śivamandira, Jambūdvīpa.

Tirtha focus

  • Pilgrimage MeritThis adhyāya is not tīrtha-topographical; its ‘pilgrimage’ is ritualized redistribution. Merit is framed as trans-local: the properly timed and properly constructed dhānyadhenu-dāna functions as a portable tirtha-act yielding svarga and higher loka-attainments.

Ritual instructions

  • Primary RitualDhānyadhenu-dāna (vṛhidhenupradāna): constructing and donating a cow-form made of grain (especially rice) with calf, consecrated and gifted to a qualified brāhmaṇa on puṇyakāla days.
  • BenefitSin-removal and moral purification (pāpa-kṣaya; simile of Candra released from Rāhu), increase of prosperity and grain-wealth, longevity, auspicious reputation, heavenly ascent (svarga and higher lokas), and eventual exalted status aligned with bhukti–mukti outcomes.

The narrative frame

  • VarāhaPṛthivī (with an instructional address to a ‘rājan’ as the exemplary practitioner) · Didactic, prescriptive, and merit-exalting (vidhi + māhātmya), with a royal-ethics orientation toward public generosity and ritual correctness.

The emotional journey

  • Dominant RasaŚānta (with strong Bhakti undertone)
  • Emotional ProgressionFrom instructional seriousness (dharma-clarification) → careful craftsmanship and reverent preparation (ritual focus) → surrender and solemn joy at the moment of gifting (tyāga) → serene assurance through promised fruits (confidence in cosmic reciprocity).

Planning a pilgrimage

  • Visit FeasibilityNot site-specific; best approached as a home/temple-based dāna observance. If performed in a temple setting, coordinate with a local priest and a vetted brāhmaṇa recipient; ensure materials (grain quantity, ornaments) and space for construction and circumambulation.
  • Best SeasonKārttika (especially highlighted), and other puṇyakāla junctions such as viṣuva and ayana transitions.
  • Related FestivalKārttika observances (e.g., Kārttika Pūrṇimā; broader Kārttika-vrata season), and equinox/solstice saṅkrānti-style transition days as locally observed.

Frequently Asked Questions

The text frames agrarian generosity as a disciplined ethical practice: a donor converts stored grain into a ritually structured gift (dhānyadhenu) offered to a qualified brāhmaṇa, presenting dāna as a means of social redistribution, personal purification, and long-term welfare (bhukti–mukti).

The chapter highlights puṇyakāla occasions: viṣuva (equinox), ayana transitions (solstitial turning points), and especially the month of Kārttikā as a preferred time for the dhānyadhenu gift.

While not explicitly ecological in modern terms, the narrative uses grain (dhānya) and cow symbolism to promote the protection and circulation of Earth-derived resources. By prescribing careful handling, sanctification, and redistribution of staple produce, it implicitly links human prosperity and moral order to responsible agrarian stewardship associated with Pṛthivī’s sustaining capacity.

No dynastic lineages are specified. Cultural-religious figures appear as named deities and personifications within the gifting formula and identifications (e.g., Pārvatī, Śiva/Gaurī, Viṣṇu as Madhusūdana/Govinda, Śacī/Indrāṇī, Gāyatrī, and the Rāhu–Candra motif used as a purification simile).

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