Varaha Purana 112.73: Adhyaya 112, Shloka 73

Praise and Procedure of Donating the Two-Faced Kapilā Cow and the Golden Pot

Hema-kumbha

Devanagari script

प्रत्यक्षधेनुर्दातव्या सहिरण्या नृपोत्तम ॥ सर्वदा सर्वधेनूनां प्रदानं राजसत्तम ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 112.73

Transliteration

pratyakṣadhenur dātavyā sahiraṇyā nṛpottama || sarvadā sarvadhenūnāṃ pradānaṃ rājasattama ||

Translation

ഹേ നൃപോത്തമാ, സ്വർണ്ണസഹിതം ജീവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന ധേനുവിനെ ദാനം ചെയ്യണം. ഹേ രാജസത്തമാ, എല്ലാ തരത്തിലുള്ള ധേനുദാനം എന്നും പ്രശംസനീയമായ ആചാരമാണ്.

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Word by Word

• प्रत्यक्ष-धेनुः: a present/actual cow
• प्रत्यक्ष-धेनुः: कर्म (Karma/Object; to be given)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: ‘प्रत्यक्षा धेनुः’ (a cow present/visible); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दातव्या: to be given / should be given
• दातव्या: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘दातव्या’ = should be given

• स-हिरण्या: together with gold
• स-हिरण्या: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’) + हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: ‘हिरण्येन सह’ = accompanied by gold; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (धेनु-विशेषण)

• नृप-उत्तम: O best of kings
• नृप-उत्तम: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: कालाधिकरण (Time adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• सर्व-धेनूनाम्: of all cows
• सर्व-धेनूनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: ‘सर्वाः धेनवः’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्रदानम्: the giving/donation
• प्रदानम्: कर्ता/वाक्यविषय (Topic/Subject-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक; प्र-दा धातोः भाव/कर्मणि घञ्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• राज-सत्तम: O best of kings
• राज-सत्तम: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Dāna (Gift traditions)

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It documents a normative ideal of charitable giving in which livestock and precious metals function as high-status donations, reflecting agrarian and courtly economies.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic site is named; the verse concerns prescriptive dāna practice rather than pilgrimage geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

To give tangible, living gifts (not merely symbolic substitutes), and to treat charitable giving as a sustained ethical discipline.