Varaha Purana 187.93: Adhyaya 187, Shloka 93

Determination of the Origin and Procedure of the Ancestral Offering

Pitṛyajña/Śrāddha

Devanagari script

परलोकहितार्थाय गोप्रदानं विशिष्यते ॥ सर्वदेवमया गाव ईश्वरेणावतारिताः ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 187.93

Transliteration

paralokahitārthāya gopradānaṃ viśiṣyate || sarvadevamayā gāva īśvareṇāvatāritāḥ ||

Translation

मरने के बाद अच्छी जगह जाने के लिए, गाय दान करना सबसे बड़ा काम है। गाय में सब भगवान बसते हैं। भगवान ने ही गाय को दुनिया में भेजा है।

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Word by Word

• para-loka-hita-arthāya: for the benefit/purpose of the next world
• para-loka-hita-arthāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक) + hita (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘for the purpose of the welfare of the next world’

• go-pradānam: cow-gift (donation of cows)
• go-pradānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + pradāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1st), Singular; तत्पुरुषः: ‘giving of cows’

• viśiṣyate: is especially distinguished / excels
• viśiṣyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + śiṣ (शिष् धातु)
• Form: Present/Laṭ, 3rd person, Singular; Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• sarva-deva-mayāḥ: made of/embodying all gods
• sarva-deva-mayāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Nominative (1st), Plural; qualifies gāvaḥ; ‘consisting of all gods’

• gāvaḥ: cows
• gāvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Nominative (1st), Plural

• īśvareṇa: by the Lord
• īśvareṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• avatāritāḥ: were brought down (incarnated)
• avatāritāḥ: Kriyā (क्रियाफल/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava + tṝ (तॄ धातु) causative? / denom. avatāraya; here kta passive participle from ava-tṝ/avatāraya
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त/भूतकृदन्त), Pumliṅga, Nominative, Plural; passive sense: ‘brought down/caused to descend’

Speaker

Varāha (default, dialogue framework)

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Dāna
• Vaiṣṇava Theology (neutral descriptive)
• Symbolic Anthropology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects the high cultural valuation of cattle and the ritualized gift economy, where cows function as both material wealth and symbolic capital.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific location is mentioned; the verse presents a general Purāṇic valuation of gopradāna.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

To prioritize charitable giving framed as socially sustaining and ritually meaningful, especially at life’s end.