Shloka 38

Honoring the Mother (Mātṛpūjanam): Consent, Equity, and Dana to Restore Household Dharma

Devanagari script

धेनूनां घटदोग्ध्रीणामेकैकस्यै तथायुतम् । युगंधराणां भद्राणां शतानि दश वै पृथक् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

dhenūnāṃ ghaṭadogdhrīṇāmekaikasyai tathāyutam | yugaṃdharāṇāṃ bhadrāṇāṃ śatāni daśa vai pṛthak || 38 ||

Translation

குடம் நிறைய பால் தரும் பசுக்களின் எண்ணிக்கை ஒவ்வொருவருக்கும் பத்தாயிரம் எனக் கூறப்பட்டது; மேலும் மங்களமான யுகந்தரா பசுக்கள் தனியாக பத்து நூறு, அதாவது ஆயிரம் எனச் சொல்லப்பட்டது।

Word by Word

• धेनूनाम्: of cows
• धेनूनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• घटदोग्ध्रीणाम्: of pot-yielding (milkers)
• घटदोग्ध्रीणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घट + दोग्ध्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘pot-milking (cows)’ i.e., yielding a potful

• एकैकस्यै: to each one
• एकैकस्यै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Prakara-adhikarana (प्रकार-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय)

• अयुतम्: ten-thousand
• अयुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• युगंधराणाम्: of yugaṃdharas (a kind of elephant/steed)
• युगंधराणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युगंधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• भद्राणाम्: of excellent/auspicious
• भद्राणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies yugaṃdharāṇām

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Plural (बहुवचन)

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral, Indeclinable-like in usage; here counts ‘śatāni’ (ten hundreds)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक-अव्यय)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Prakara-adhikarana (प्रकार-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (पृथक्त्ववाचक-अव्यय)

Speaker

Suta (narrating; within the broader Narada–Sanatkumara teaching frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Dhenus (sacred cows)
• Yugamdhara (cow-type/name)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

This verse functions as a precise enumerative statement within a mahatmya-style passage, highlighting the sacred valuation of cows (go) in dharma and the tradition of merit (puṇya) accounting connected to dana and tirtha contexts.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Indirectly: by grounding devotion in dharmic conduct. In Narada Purana’s devotional ethos, acts like honoring cows and performing dana are treated as supportive disciplines that purify the mind and complement Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily Kalpa (ritual procedure) and dharma-nirṇaya style enumeration—using fixed numerical measures (saṅkhyā) for categories relevant to dana/merit traditions rather than grammar or astrology.