Shloka 7

Procedure for the Guḍa-dhenū (Jaggery-Cow) Gift; Ten Dhenu-dānas; Yearlong Gaṅgā Worship and Darśana

Devanagari script

प्राङ्मुखीं कल्पयेद्धेनुमुदक्पादां सवत्सकाम् । उत्तमा गुडधेनुस्तु चतुर्भारैः प्रकीर्तिता ॥ ७ ॥

Transliteration

prāṅmukhīṃ kalpayeddhenumudakpādāṃ savatsakām | uttamā guḍadhenustu caturbhāraiḥ prakīrtitā || 7 ||

Translation

ຈົ່ງປັ້ນ ‘ງົວ’ ພິທີໃຫ້ຫັນໜ້າໄປທາງຕາເວັນອອກ ໃຫ້ຕີນຫັນໄປທາງເໜືອ ແລະວາງລູກງົວຄຽງຂ້າງ. ‘ກຸດ-ເທນູ’ ທີ່ດີທີ່ສຸດ ກ່າວວ່າເຮັດດ້ວຍນ້ຳຕານອ້ອຍ 4 ບາຣາ (bhāra).

Word by Word

• प्राङ्-मुखीम्: east-facing
• प्राङ्-मुखीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राङ् (अव्यय) + मुखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (प्राङ् मुखं यस्याः)

• कल्पयेत्: should fashion/arrange
• कल्पयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• धेनुम्: a cow (figure)
• धेनुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उदक्-पादाम्: with feet toward the north
• उदक्-पादाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदक् (अव्यय) + पादा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (उदक् पादौ यस्याः)

• सवत्सकाम्: together with a calf
• सवत्सकाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + वत्स + का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (वत्सेन सह) + ‘का/क’ प्रत्ययान्त (having/desiring)

• उत्तमा: the best (type)
• उत्तमा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• गुडधेनुः: the jaggery-cow (offering)
• गुडधेनुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुड + धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गुडस्य धेनुः)

• तु: indeed/however
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विशेष/विरोधार्थक

• चतुर्भारैः: with four bhāras (loads/weights)
• चतुर्भारैः: Karana (करण/Measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + भार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (चत्वारः भाराः)

• प्रकीर्तिता: is declared
• प्रकीर्तिता: Kriya (क्रिया; passive predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्यय: क्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘गुडधेनुः’ इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Uttara-Bhaga teaching on tīrtha/vrata-related dāna)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"adbhuta","emotional_journey":"From careful construction to a sense of wonder at the ritual’s symbolic completeness: the cow is oriented, given a calf, and specified in an ‘uttama’ (best) measure."}

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It teaches that dāna (charitable gifting) becomes spiritually potent when done with proper ritual form—directional placement, completeness (with a calf), and adequate quantity—so the gift aligns with dharma and yields puṇya.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

While this verse is primarily about ritual charity, such dāna is traditionally offered in a devotional spirit—dedicating the act and its fruits to the Lord—so disciplined giving supports bhakti by cultivating surrender and selflessness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual procedure and directional rules (dik-nirdesha) used in karmakāṇḍa practice—applied knowledge akin to Kalpa/ritual method—specifying orientation, accompaniments, and measurement (bhāra) for correct performance.