Varaha Purana 106.3: Adhyaya 106, Shloka 3

The Significance and Rite of Donating the ‘Curd-Cow’

Dadhidhenudāna

Devanagari script

दधिकुम्भं तु संस्थाप्य सप्तधान्यचयोपरि ॥ चतुर्थांशेन वत्सं तु सौवर्णं मुखमण्डितम्

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 106.3

Transliteration

dadhikumbhaṁ tu saṁsthāpya saptadhānyacayopari || caturthāṁśena vatsaṁ tu sauvarṇaṁ mukhamaṇḍitam

Translation

เมื่อวางหม้อทธี (นมเปรี้ยว) ไว้บนกองธัญพืชเจ็ดชนิดแล้ว พึงทำลูกโคหนึ่งตัว—เป็นทองคำ ประดับที่ใบหน้า—ตามส่วนหนึ่งในสี่ (ของขนาด/ปริมาณ)

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Word by Word

• dadhi-kumbham: a pot of curd
• dadhi-kumbham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dadhi (दधि) + kumbha (कुम्भ)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अवधारण/विरोधार्थक)

• saṁsthāpya: having set/placed
• saṁsthāpya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam+sthā (सम्+स्था धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यबन्त), 'having placed/installed'

• sapta-dhānya-caya-upari: upon a heap of seven kinds of grain
• sapta-dhānya-caya-upari: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sapta (सप्त) + dhānya (धान्य) + caya (चय) + upari (उपरि अव्यय)
• Form: Avyayībhāva: indeclinable adverbial phrase meaning location; 'upon the heap of seven grains'

• caturtha-aṁśena: with a fourth part (portion)
• caturtha-aṁśena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturtha (चतुर्थ) + aṁśa (अंश)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; measure/portion as means

• vatsam: a calf
• vatsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsa (वत्स प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tu: and/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अवधारण)

• sauvarṇam: golden (made of gold)
• sauvarṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: suvarṇa (सुवर्ण प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adjective qualifying 'vatsam'

• mukha-maṇḍitam: adorned at the face
• mukha-maṇḍitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mukha (मुख) + maṇḍita (मण्डित कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √maṇḍ)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adjective qualifying 'vatsam'

Speaker

Hotṛ (contextual continuation from 106.1)

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Dāna (Gift traditions)
• Ritual vessels
• Agrarian symbolism (seven grains)

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It provides a concrete ritual blueprint linking dairy, grain, and precious-metal symbolism—useful for studying agrarian and economic imagery embedded in Purāṇic gift-rituals.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse frames generosity as carefully constructed and materially specific, underscoring accountability and precision in ritualized giving.