Varaha Purana 102.2: Adhyaya 102, Shloka 2

The Merit and Ritual Procedure of Donating a Jaggery Cow

Guḍadhenu

Uttara Bhāga · Guḍadhenu–Māhātmya (iconographic detailing of the gift)

Devanagari script

सौवर्णे मुखशृङ्गे च दन्ताश्च मणिमौक्तिकैः । ग्रीवा रत्नमयी त्वस्या घ्राणं गन्धमयं तथा ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 102.2

Transliteration

sauvarṇe mukhaśṛṅge ca dantāś ca maṇimauktikaiḥ | grīvā ratnamayī tv asyā ghrāṇaṁ gandhamayaṁ tathā ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

Jej pysk i rogi powinny być wykonane ze złota; jej zęby z klejnotów i pereł. Jej szyja powinna być uformowana z kamieni szlachetnych, a podobnie jej nos powinien być stworzony z pachnących substancji.

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Word by Word

• sauvarṇe: in/with (something) golden
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; adjective used substantively/qualifying (विशेषण)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: sauvarṇa (प्रातिपदिक)

• mukha-śṛṅge: in the facial horn / horn on the face
• Type: Noun
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (mukhasya śṛṅge)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक) + śṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Root: ca (अव्यय)

• dantāḥ: teeth
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: danta (प्रातिपदिक)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Root: ca (अव्यय)

• maṇi-mauktikaiḥ: with gems and pearls
• Type: Noun
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (maṇayaś ca mauktikāni ca)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Root: maṇi (प्रातिपदिक) + mauktika (प्रातिपदिक)

• grīvā: neck
• Type: Noun
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: grīvā (प्रातिपदिक)

• ratna-mayī: made of jewels
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तद्धितार्थ/मयट्-प्रत्ययान्त (made of) used adjectivally (विशेषण)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)

• tu: indeed/but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Particle (निपात), contrast/emphasis
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Root: tu (अव्यय)

• asyāḥ: of her
• Type: Noun
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; pronoun
• Role: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)

• ghrāṇam: nose
• Type: Noun
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: ghrāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)

• gandha-mayam: made of fragrance / fragrant
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; मयट्-प्रत्ययान्त (consisting of) used adjectivally
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)

• tathā: likewise/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)

Sandhi Notes

• tv asyā = tu + asyāḥ (visarga loss before vowel)
• dantāś ca = dantāḥ + ca (visarga→ś before c)

Speaker and setting

Adbhuta and Shanta rasaSetting: Ritual workshop / altar space

Speaker

Hotṛ

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Ethics of excellence in offering

Subjects

Ritual PrescriptionsMaterial CultureAesthetics (ornamentation)

Core idea

The quality of what is offered (and the care in offering) expresses reverence; beauty becomes a vehicle for sanctity when subordinated to dharma.

In practice

In charity and worship, give thoughtfully and with the best you can; let sensory refinement (cleanliness, fragrance, completeness) support devotion rather than vanity.

Symbolism of the boar

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Dāna-vidhi
• Iconography
• Ritual Ornamentation

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

Such inventory-like descriptions inform historians about idealized luxury materials in ritual imagination and the symbolic economy of gifting in Purāṇic milieus.

Which geographic location is identified?

No location is mentioned; the verse is concerned with the crafted object’s features.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

To offer a gift prepared with care and value, suggesting that generosity is expressed through both intention and the quality of the offering.