Varaha Purana 108.2 — Adhyaya 108, Shloka 2

The Eulogy and Procedure of Donating the ‘Salt-Cow’

Lavaṇadhenu

Devanagari script

अनुलिप्ते महीपृष्ठे कृष्णाजिनकुशोत्तरे ॥ धेनुं लवणमयीं कृत्वा षोडशप्रस्थसंयुताम् ॥

Transliteration

anulipte mahīpṛṣṭhe kṛṣṇājinakuśottare || dhenuṃ lavaṇamayīṃ kṛtvā ṣoḍaśaprasthasaṃyutām ||

Translation

ଅନୁଲିପ୍ତ ଓ ଶୁଦ୍ଧ କରାଯାଇଥିବା ଭୂମିରେ, ଉପରେ କୃଷ୍ଣାଜିନ ଓ କୁଶ ପତ୍ରାଇ, ଷୋଳ ପ୍ରସ୍ଥ ଲବଣଯୁକ୍ତ ଲବଣମୟୀ ଧେନୁ ତିଆରି କରିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• anulipte: on (a place) smeared/anointed
• anulipte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anulipta (कृदन्त; anu+√lip, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग? (अधिकरणे), सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; विशेषण — 'smeared/anointed'

• mahī-pṛṣṭhe: on the surface of the earth
• mahī-pṛṣṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक) + pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष — 'महीपृष्ठे' (on the earth-surface)

• kṛṣṇa-ajina-kuśa-uttare: with black antelope-skin and kuśa grass spread on top
• kṛṣṇa-ajina-kuśa-uttare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ajina (प्रातिपदिक) + kuśa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष — 'कृष्णाजिनकुशोत्तर' = 'कृष्णाजिनेन कुशैश्च उत्तरे (आस्तरणे) युक्ते'

• dhenum: a cow
• dhenum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhenu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• lavaṇa-mayīm: made of salt
• lavaṇa-mayīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lavaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त विशेषण (मयट्) — 'made of salt'

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund) — 'having made'

• ṣoḍaśa-prastha-saṃyutām: joined with sixteen prasthas
• ṣoḍaśa-prastha-saṃyutām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśa (संख्या) + prastha (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyuta (कृदन्त; √yuj, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण — 'joined with sixteen prasthas'

Speaker

Hotṛ

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"None","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"None"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"dana","instruction_summary":"Prepare a ritually purified ground; place kṛṣṇājina (black antelope hide) and kuśa grass, then fashion the salt-cow of sixteen prasthas upon it.","karmic_consequence":"Ritual purity of place and proper ādhāra (support) safeguards the gift’s efficacy; impurity or omission is treated as a flaw (doṣa) reducing merit."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"ritual discipline (śauca-vidhi)","core_concept":"Outer order (purified space, proper supports) mirrors inner order; dharma is enacted through careful preparation.","practical_application":"Before any sacred act—charity, worship, vows—prepare a clean, intentional space and use traditional markers of sanctity to focus mind and action."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ritual Practice","Ethics","Heritage Sites"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: śānta

Secondary Rasa: None

Geographic Context

Type: consecrated ritual ground (vedi/maṇḍala)

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 108.1 (introduction to lavanadhenu); Varāha Purāṇa 108.3–108.5 (iconographic specifications)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A prepared ritual floor, freshly smeared, with a black antelope hide spread and kuśa grass arranged; atop it artisans/priests shape a cow-form from salt measured to sixteen prasthas.","item_prompts":["smeared earth platform","black antelope hide (kṛṣṇājina)","bundles of kuśa grass","white salt shaped into cow body","measuring pot/ladle"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: textured earthen platform, bold black kṛṣṇājina, rhythmic kuśa patterns; priests in profile shaping the salt-cow; serene ritual ambience.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: ornate ritual platform with gold highlights on vessels; strong contrast between black hide and white salt-cow; symmetrical composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: refined depiction of kuśa blades and the hide; soft shading; focus on cleanliness and precision of arrangement.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: minimalistic sacred ground scene; crisp kuśa strokes; small figures crafting the salt-cow; airy background."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"procedural, contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"steady","voice_tone":"calm, precise"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Ritual Philanthropy
• Material Culture

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves details of ritual staging (prepared ground, kuśa, antelope-hide), illustrating continuity between Vedic ritual materials and later Purāṇic gift-rites.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific location is named; the focus is on ritual space preparation.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Ethical giving is presented as careful, rule-governed practice rather than a purely spontaneous act.