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

Varaha ji Prithvi ko batate hain ki raja ko dhanyadhenu daan karna chahiye. Yeh daan ek gay hai jo chawal aur anaj se banate hain. Kartik mahina aur ayana ke samay yeh daan karna bahut achha hota hai. Ek bar yeh daan karne se sau gay dene ka phal milta hai. Pehle bhoomi par gobar lagao aur krishna mrig charma bichhao. Phir chawal se gay aur bachhda ka aakar banao. Sonay chandi aur itra se unko sajao aur puja karo. Brahman ko daan dene se paap dhul jate hain aur swarg milta hai.

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)
Recitation with translationVaraha Purana Adhyaya 110

Shlokas in Adhyaya 110

Verse 1

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

Ab main anaj ki gaay dene ka mahatva batata hoon. Raja, sunno. Yeh anaj ki gaay sabse badi hai. Iska naam sunte hi Parvati khush ho jaati hain.

Verse 2

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

Jab din aur raat barabar ho, ya suraj ki position badalti ho. Khaas kar Kartik mahine mein. Tab yeh gaay do. Paap se chhutkara milta hai. Jaise chaand Rahu ke pakad se nikal jata hai.

Verse 3

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

Ab main tumhe dhanya dhenu ka vidhi batata hoon. Yeh ek khaas tarika hai. Raja, das gaay daan karne jo punya milta hai, woh poora punya tumhe chawal ki gaay daan karne pe mil jayega.

Verse 4

कृष्णाजिनं ततः कृत्वा प्राग्वत्सं स्थापयेद्बुधः । गोमयेनानुलिप्तायां भूमौ तां परिपूजयेत् ॥

Phir kala hiran ka chamda bichhao. Buddhi baat ka insaan bacche ko poorab ki taraf muh karke rakhe. Zameen par gobar laga ke saaf karo. Uske baad uski puja karo.

Verse 5

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

Gaay ko uttam mana jata hai jab woh chaar dron anaaj se banti hai. Adha anaaj se madhyam darje ki banti hai. Daan karte waqt paisa bachane ka sochna nahi chahiye.

Verse 6

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

Vidhi ke hisaab se baccha banana hai. Baccha gaay ka chautha hissa hona chahiye. Gaay ke napne ka ek chautha hissa bacche ke liye rakho.

Verse 7

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

Gaay ke seeng sonne se banao. Khur chandi se lagao. Naak gomed patthar se banao. Phir aguru aur chandan lagao.

Verse 8

मुक्ताफलमया दन्ता घृतक्षौद्रमयं मुखम् । प्रशस्तपत्रश्रवणं कांस्यदोहणकारिताम् ॥

Iske daant moti se banane chahiye. Munh mein ghee aur shahad bharna hai. Kaan patte jaise banao, ache patte jaise. Aur ek kansi ki bartan bhi lagao jaise doodh nikaalte hain.

Verse 9

इक्षुपृष्ठिमयाः पादाः क्षौम्यपुच्छसमन्विताम् । नानाफलसमोपेतां रत्नगर्भसमन्विताम् ॥

Paer ganne ki tarah se banao. Poochh kapde ki tarah se lagao. Usme alag-alag phal rakhne chahiye. Andar heere-moti bhi chahiye.

Verse 10

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

Pehle jaise puja karo, uske baad diya bhi jalao. Jab shubh time aaye, tab ghar ka malik nahake safed kapde pehen ke aage badho.

Verse 11

त्रिः प्रदक्षिणमावृत्य दण्डवत्प्रणमेच्च ताम् । त्वं हि विप्र महाभाग वेदवेदाङ्गपारग ॥

Uske charo taraf teen baar chakkar lagao. Phir poora jhukke pranaam karo. Tum to bade bhagwan wale pandit ho, tumhe Ved sab aate hain.

Verse 12

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

Maine jo diya hai woh le lo, aur khush ho jao. Bhagwan Madhusudan meri bhakti se prasann ho jayen.

Verse 13

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

Woh devi Lakshmi hai jab Govinda ke paas hoti hai. Agni ke paas Swaha ke naam se jaani jaati hai. Indra ke paas Shachi hai aur Shiv ji ke paas Gauri roop mein hai. Yeh devi kitne roop le sakti hai.

Verse 14

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

Brahma ke liye Gayatri hai woh. Chandrama mein chaandni hai aur Suraj mein chamak hai. Brihaspati mein buddhi hai aur rishiyon mein sabse badi medha hai.

Verse 15

तस्मात्सर्वमयी देवी धान्यरूपेण संस्थिता ॥ एवमुच्चार्य तां धेनुं ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत्

Isliye yeh devi sab kuchh hai. Woh anna ke roop mein bhi hai. Yeh sab bol ke us dhaanya ki gaay bana ke brahman ko deni chahiye.

Verse 16

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

Gaay de ke uske charo taraf ghoome. Phir brahman se maafi maango. Raja, jitni bhi dharti hai usme sab daulat aur ratne hain.

Verse 17

तावत्पुण्यं समधिकं व्रीहिधेनोश्च तत्फलम् ॥ तस्मान्नरेन्द्र दातव्या भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदा

Usse bhi zyada punya milta hai dhaanya ki gaay dene ka. Isliye raja, yeh deni chahiye. Yeh duniya mein sukh deti hai aur mukti bhi.

Verse 18

इहलोके च सौभाग्यमायुरारोग्यवर्द्धनम् ॥ विमानॆनार्कवर्णेन किङ्किणीजालमालिना

Is daan se insaan ko is duniya mein khushnaseebi milti hai. Umar badi hoti hai aur sehat achi hoti hai. Daan karne wala ek aasman ki viman mein jaata hai. Woh viman sooraj jaisi chamak wali hai aur ghunghru se sajji hai.

Verse 19

ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टो जम्बूद्वीपपतिर्भवेत् ॥ एवं हरेण चोद्गीर्णं श्रुत्वा वाक्यं नरोत्तमः

Phir jab swarg se girte hain, woh Jambudweep ka raja bante hain. Hari ki baat sunke woh bade insaan ne socha.

Verse 20

सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा रुद्रलोके महीयते

Saare paap se uska dil saaf ho jaata hai. Rudra ke dham mein uski bahut izzat hoti hai.

Verse 21

पादुकोपानहच्छत्रभाजनं तर्पणं तथा ॥ अङ्गं तु पूर्ववत्कार्यं मुखं क्षौद्रमयं शुभम्

Chappal, chhata, bartan aur paani dena chahiye. Shareer pehle jaisa banao. Chehra meetha hona chahiye, jaise shahad ho.

Verse 22

स्तूयमानोऽप्सरोभिश्च स याति शिवमन्दिरम् ॥ यावच्च स्मरते जन्म तावत्स्वर्गे महीयते

Apsara log uski tareef karte hain aur woh Shiv ke mandir mein jaata hai. Jab tak woh apna janam yaad rakhta hai, tab tak swarg mein uski izzat rehti hai.

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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