Varaha Purana 207.41: Adhyaya 207, Shloka 41

Section on the ‘Person’ who Entices Beings within the Cycle of Rebirth

Uttara Bhāga · Dāna–Vrata Phala (Ethics of gifts and ascetic observances)

Devanagari script

गन्धमाल्यनिवृत्त्या तु मूर्तिर्भवति पुष्कला ॥ अन्नदानेन च नरः स्मृतिं मेधां च विन्दति ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 207.41

Transliteration

gandhamālyanivṛttyā tu mūrtir bhavati puṣkalā | annadānena ca naraḥ smṛtiṃ medhāṃ ca vindati ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

Poprzez powstrzymanie się od perfum i girland, forma ciała staje się pełna i krzepka. A poprzez dar jedzenia, człowiek osiąga pamięć i inteligencję.

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Word by Word

• गन्ध-माल्य-निवृत्त्या: by the cessation of perfumes and garlands
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; ‘गन्धमाल्ययोः निवृत्तिः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; Instrumental singular (by/through cessation)
• Role: करण (Instrument)
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + माल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + निवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे ‘but/indeed’
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Root: तु (अव्यय)

• मूर्तिः: form/embodiment
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular
• Role: कर्ता (Subject)
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)

• भवति: becomes/is
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada
• Role: क्रिया (Verb)
• Root: भू (धातु)

• पुष्कला: abundant/full
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with ‘मूर्तिः’
• Role: विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Root: पुष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)

• अन्न-दानेन: by giving food
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘अन्नस्य दानम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; Instrumental singular
• Role: करण (Instrument)
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• नरः: a man/person
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular
• Role: कर्ता (Subject)
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)

• स्मृतिम्: memory
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular
• Role: कर्म (Object)
• Root: स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)

• मेधाम्: intelligence
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular
• Role: कर्म (Object)
• Root: मेधा (प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• विन्दति: finds/attains
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada
• Role: क्रिया (Verb)
• Root: विद्/विन्द् (धातु)

Sandhi Notes

• मूर्तिर्भवति = मूर्तिः + भवति (विसर्ग-सन्धि: र्-आदेश)

Speaker and setting

Shanta rasa

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Curious; oriented to practical dharma benefiting body and mind

What she asks

Which small restraints and which forms of charity directly strengthen the body and sharpen memory/intellect?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Sattva cultivation through dāna and restraint

Subjects

EthicsAscetic restraintCharity (food-giving)

Core idea

Reducing vanity (gandha-mālya) stabilizes the body-mind; nourishing others through anna-dāna refines one’s own inner instrument (antaḥkaraṇa) toward clarity (smṛti/medhā).

In practice

Adopt periodic simplicity (no fragrances/garlands) to curb display; prioritize regular food charity—feeding guests, students, poor, and pilgrims.

Dharma

Vrata

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Ethics
• Anna-dāna
• Vrata (restraint)

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

The verse is part of a merit-catalogue that pairs renunciation of luxury items with embodied outcomes, and it elevates anna-dāna as a socially central virtue tied to cognitive excellence.

Which geographic location is identified?

No location is referenced.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Reduce luxury/ornamentation and prioritize food-giving, framed as strengthening both body and mind.