Shloka 48
कपिल–स्यूमरश्मि संवादः
Kapila and Syūmaraśmi on Renunciation, Householder Support, and Epistemic Authority
ऋषयो यतयो होतन्नहुषे प्रत्यवेदयन् । गां मातरं चाप्यवधीर्वृषभं च प्रजापतिम्
ṛṣayo yatayo hotan-nahuṣe pratyavedayan | gāṃ mātaraṃ cāpy avadhīr vṛṣabhaṃ ca prajāpatiṃ ||
তুলাধাৰে ক’লে: হে নহুষ! ঋষি আৰু যতিসকলে তোমাক এই কথা জনাইছে—তুমি মাতৃসম গাইক বধ কৰিছা আৰু প্ৰজাপতি-স্বৰূপ বলদকো। ই ধৰ্মৰ গুৰুতৰ লঙ্ঘন।
तुलाधार उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical gravity of harming beings symbolically tied to nurture and dharma—especially the cow (as ‘mother’) and the bull (linked with Prajāpati/dharmic order). It frames such violence as a serious transgression reported by spiritual authorities (ṛṣis and ascetics).
Tulādhāra addresses Nahusha and states that sages and ascetics have informed him of a wrongdoing: Nahusha has killed a cow and a bull. The statement functions as an accusation and moral indictment within the Shanti Parva’s broader instruction on righteous conduct.