Varaha Purana 101.8: Adhyaya 101, Shloka 8

The Eulogy and Procedure of the ‘Rasadhenu’ (Sugarcane-Juice Cow) Donation

Uttara Bhāga · Dāna-vidhi (Ritual Gift Procedures) — Rasadhenu (Sugarcane-juice Cow)

Devanagari script

चत्वारि तिलपात्राणि चतुर्दिक्षु निवेशयेत् ॥ सर्वलक्षणयुक्ताय श्रोत्रियाय कुटुम्बिने ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 101.8

Transliteration

chatvāri tilapātrāṇi caturdikṣu niveśayet || sarvalakṣaṇayuktāya śrotriyāya kuṭumbine ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

നാലു ദിക്കുകളിലും എള്ളുപാത്രങ്ങൾ നാലെണ്ണം സ്ഥാപിച്ച്, സർവലക്ഷണസമ്പന്നനായ ശ്രോത്രിയ ഗൃഹസ്ഥനു ദാനം ചെയ്യണം।

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Word by Word

• चत्वारि: four
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)

• तिल-पात्राणि: sesame-vessels / bowls of sesame
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: तिल + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• चतुर्दिक्षु: in the four directions
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Root: चतुर् + दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)

• निवेशयेत्: should place/arrange
• Type: Verb
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense in usage ‘should place/arrange’
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: नि-विश् (धातु)

• सर्व-लक्षण-युक्ताय: to one endowed with all marks/qualities
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (युक्त)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Root: सर्व + लक्षण + युक्त (प्रातिपदिक; युज् धातु-कृदन्त)

• श्रोत्रियाय: to a learned Vedic scholar
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Root: श्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)

• कुटुम्बिने: to a householder (with family)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Root: कुटुम्बिन् (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• तिलपात्राणि = तिल-पात्राणि
• सर्वलक्षणयुक्ताय = सर्व-लक्षण-युक्ताय

Speaker and setting

Shanta rasaSetting: Ritual arena (domestic/śrauta-adjacent)

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Karma-yoga / dāna-dharma

Subjects

EthicsCultural Heritage

Core idea

Merit depends not only on giving but on right recipient (pātra), right orientation, and right procedure.

In practice

Select a learned, disciplined recipient; prepare the gift with purity; perform the act with mindful attention to ritual directions and intention.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Dharmaśāstra
• Ritual Studies
• Social History

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It indicates recipient-criteria (śrotriya, householder) and directional placement of offerings, informing social and ritual norms surrounding dāna.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific location is identified; directional arrangement is a ritual schema.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse emphasizes appropriate distribution—gifts should be offered to qualified recipients within a structured, orderly ritual setting.