Varaha Purana 139.2: Adhyaya 139, Shloka 2

The Glory of Varāha’s Rite: Merits of Cow-dung Plastering, Sweeping, Singing, Instrumental Music, and Dance

with a Truth-Vow Exemplum

Devanagari script

गृहीत्वा गोमयं भूमे मम वेश्मोपलेपयेत्॥ न्यस्तानि तत्र यावन्ति पदानि च विलिम्पतः॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 139.2

Transliteration

gṛhītvā gomayaṁ bhūme mama veśmopalepayet || nyastāni tatra yāvanti padāni ca vilimpataḥ

Translation

ఓ భూమీ, గోమయం తీసుకొని నా గృహాన్ని లేపనం చేయాలి. లేపనం చేస్తూ అక్కడ ఎంతమంది అడుగులు/పాదముద్రలు పడతాయో—(అంత ఫలం కలుగుతుంది)।

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Word by Word

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) → गृहीत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having taken’

• गोमयम्: cow-dung
• गोमयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• भूमे: O Earth
• भूमे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case, genitive), एकवचन

• वेश्म-उपलेपयेत्: should plaster (the house)
• वेश्म-उपलेपयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वेश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + उप-लिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपलेपयेत् = ‘should plaster/smear’; वेश्म (object) sandhi with verb

• न्यस्तानि: placed
• न्यस्तानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-यस्/अस् (धातु) → न्यस्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त: ‘placed/laid down’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• यावन्ति: as many as
• यावन्ति: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; परिमाणवाचक (as many as)

• पदानि: steps / footprints
• पदानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• विलिम्पतः: of the one who smears/plasters
• विलिम्पतः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे वर्तमानकृदन्त-प्रयोगवत्; actually शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त रूप ‘विलिम्पत्’ → षष्ठी एकवचन ‘विलिम्पतः’ (of one who is smearing)

Speaker

Varāha (addressing Pṛthivī: 'bhūme')

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Domestic Ritual
• Ecological Materials
• Purāṇic Practice

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves evidence of domestic ritual technologies and materials (gomaya plastering) that intersect with environmental history and vernacular building practices.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific location is named; the setting is a generalized domestic/ritual space.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It recommends a culturally sanctioned practice of maintaining/ritually preparing living space, using a traditional biodegradable material.