Varaha Purana 108.5 — Adhyaya 108, Shloka 5
The Eulogy and Procedure of Donating the ‘Salt-Cow’
Lavaṇadhenu
सूत्रपुच्छां ताम्रपृष्ठां दर्भरोमां पयस्विनीम् ॥ कांस्योपदोहां राजेन्द्र घण्टाभरणभूषिताम् ॥
sūtrapucchāṃ tāmrapṛṣṭhāṃ darbharomāṃ payasvinīm || kāṃsyopadohāṃ rājendra ghaṇṭābharaṇabhūṣitām ||
सूत्रपुच्छां ताम्रपृष्ठां दर्भरोमां पयस्विनीम्। कांस्योपदोहां राजेन्द्र घण्टाभरणभूषिताम्।
Hotṛ
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"What final fittings (tail, back, hair, milking vessel, bells/ornaments) complete the lavanadhenu so it is ritually ‘milk-bearing’ and fit for donation?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"dana","instruction_summary":"Finish the lavanadhenu with thread-tail, copper back, darbha-grass hair, a bell-metal milking vessel, and adorn it with bells and ornaments, presenting it as ‘paysvinī’ (milk-bearing).","karmic_consequence":"Completeness and auspicious adornment signify full śraddhā and confer enhanced merit; an incomplete/inauspicious presentation is a doṣa that weakens the dāna’s fruit."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":true,"symbolic_interpretation":"The ‘milk-bearing’ designation and inclusion of the milking vessel ritualize abundance: the gift is framed not as inert matter but as a living source of nourishment—an ethical ideal of sustaining others.","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"Transforming objects into a ‘giver of sustenance’ mirrors the Vedāntic ethic of seeing wealth as īśvara-ārpaṇa (offering to the Lord) and loka-saṅgraha (support of the world)."}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"dāna as sustenance","core_concept":"True giving aims at ongoing nourishment (payaḥ/poshana), not mere display; utility (milking vessel) is part of compassion.","practical_application":"Prefer gifts that enable livelihood and continuity (tools, vessels, resources), and present them respectfully and completely."}
Subject Matter: ["Material Culture","Ritual Practice","Ethics"]
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: ritual donation setting
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 108.1–108.4 (construction and materials of the lavanadhenu)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The completed salt-cow stands adorned: thread tail, copper backplate, darbha-grass hair, bells and ornaments; beside it a bell-metal milking pot, presenting the cow as ‘milk-bearing’.","item_prompts":["thread tail","copper back sheen","darbha grass mane/hair","bell-metal (kāṃsya) milking vessel","hanging bells","ornamental garlands"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: strong copper tones on the back, textured darbha hair, rhythmic bell motifs; ritual attendants preparing to present the gift.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: gold-leaf on ornaments and bell fixtures; copper back rendered with rich metallic paint; prominent milking vessel in foreground.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: nuanced metallic rendering (copper vs bell-metal); detailed bell strings; dignified, complete icon of the dāna-cow.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: charming cow profile with stylized bells; copper back as a warm panel; small milking pot; narrative feel of ‘gift ready to be offered’."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"concluding, auspicious","suggested_raga":"Madhyamavati","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"confident, benedictory"}
FAQs
It provides evidence for the named materials (copper, bell-metal) and ritual grass (darbha) in gift-rite descriptions, supporting cross-disciplinary study with archaeology and material history.
No geographic location is mentioned.
The verse emphasizes completeness and dignity in gifting—adornment and functional elements are included as part of responsible donation.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Varaha Purana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.