Varaha Purana 105.3 — Adhyaya 105, Shloka 3

Ritual Procedure for the Gift of the Milk-Cow

Kṣīradhenu

Devanagari script

सुवर्णमुखशृङ्गाणि चन्दनागुरुकाणि च ॥ प्रशस्तपत्रश्रवणां तिलपात्रोपरि न्यसेत्

Transliteration

suvarṇamukhaśṛṅgāṇi candanāgurukāṇi ca || praśastapatraśravaṇāṃ tilapātropari nyaset

Translation

ให้วางเขาที่ปลายเป็นทอง พร้อมทั้งจันทน์และไม้กฤษณา (อการุ) และจัดแต่งหูให้เป็นรูปใบไม้มงคล แล้ววางทั้งหมดไว้เหนือภาชนะที่บรรจุงา

Word by Word

• सुवर्णमुखशृङ्गाणि: horns with golden tips/faces
• सुवर्णमुखशृङ्गाणि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण + मुख + शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; समासार्थः ‘सुवर्णं मुखं येषां तानि शृङ्गाणि’ (अर्थतः बहुव्रीह्यर्थ-प्रयोगः)

• चन्दनागुरुकाणि: sandalwood and agaru (aloeswood) items
• चन्दनागुरुकाणि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन + अगुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (candanāni ca agurūṇi ca)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रशस्तपत्रश्रवणाम्: having fine leaf-like ears
• प्रशस्तपत्रश्रवणाम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशस्त + पत्र + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying an implied ‘धेनुम्/गाम्’); समासार्थः ‘प्रशस्तानि पत्राणि इव श्रवणे यस्याः’ (बहुव्रीह्यर्थ-प्रयोगः)

• तिलपात्रोपरि: on/above the sesame-vessel
• तिलपात्रोपरि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तिलपात्र + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: ‘उपरि’ स्थानवाचक-अव्यय; पूर्वपदं ‘तिलपात्र’ (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/locative sense)

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस्/न्यस् (धातु; √as ‘to place’ with ni-)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Varāha

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"curious","key_question":"How should the ritual gift/icon be properly ornamented and installed upon the sesame-vessel base?"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"dana","instruction_summary":"In a prescribed dāna-rite, one should ornament the crafted form with golden-tipped horns, sandal/agaru, and leaf-like auspicious ears, then set it upon a sesame-filled vessel.","karmic_consequence":"Properly executed dāna with correct materials and auspicious iconography yields merit and prosperity; negligence diminishes the rite’s fruit."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":true,"symbolic_interpretation":"The careful ‘bodying forth’ of a sacred form through auspicious substances mirrors yajña-logic: material correspondences make the offering a microcosm fit for divine reception.","yajna_varaha_imagery":"Sesame-vessel as the stabilizing ‘earth/base’ of the rite; fragrance-substances (candana/agaru) as sanctifying ‘sūkṣma’ offerings; golden horn-tips as ‘tejas’/auspicious power invested into the form.","vedantic_connection":"Name-and-form (nāma-rūpa) are ritually purified so the giver’s intention (saṅkalpa) aligns with dharma; the ‘form’ becomes a support for sattva and dāna-phala."}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"ritual-ethics","core_concept":"Dāna becomes spiritually efficacious when joined to śraddhā, śaucā, and correct symbolic construction.","practical_application":"When giving, prioritize purity, intentionality, and prescribed completeness rather than mere quantity."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ritual Procedure","Iconography","Material Culture"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: śānta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-space

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 105.6-105.9 (continued construction of the dāna-cow/icon)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Varāha as instructor describes a ritually crafted cow/icon being adorned: golden-tipped horns, sandal and agaru paste, leaf-shaped ears, all set atop a sesame-filled vessel.","item_prompts":["sesame-filled vessel (tila-pātra) as pedestal","golden-tipped horns","sandalwood paste and agaru resin","leaf-like auspicious ears","ritual implements and offering trays","teacher-deity Varāha gesturing instruction"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Varāha in calm teaching posture beside a richly ornamented ritual cow/icon on a tila-pātra pedestal; warm earthy palette, clear linework, fragrant-offering vessels emphasized.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: central crafted cow/icon with gold-leaf highlights on horn-tips and ornaments; Varāha as guru at side; sesame vessel rendered with embossed texture and jewel accents.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: delicate shading, refined textiles; focus on sandal/agaru application and leaf-like ears; serene instructional mood with ritual paraphernalia.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: intimate indoor ritual scene; Varāha instructing a king/priest; stylized pedestal vessel of sesame, simplified but symbolic gold horn-tips and fragrant offerings."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"measured and auspicious","suggested_raga":"Śrī","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"clear, instructional, gently emphatic"}

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Ritual Ornamentation
• Dāna (Gifting)
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves details of ritual aesthetics—precious metals and aromatics—indicating how value, purity, and sensory markers (fragrance) were integrated into formal gifts.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named; the focus is on ritual construction and materials.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The instruction emphasizes conscientious giving—enhancing the gift with carefully chosen, culturally valued materials.