Shloka 9
Parīkṣit Confronts Kali: Dharma (Bull) and Bhūmi (Cow) at the Dawn of Kali-yuga
मा सौरभेयात्र शुचो व्येतु ते वृषलाद् भयम् । मा रोदीरम्ब भद्रं ते खलानां मयि शास्तरि ॥ ९ ॥
mā saurabheyātra śuco vyetu te vṛṣalād bhayam mā rodīr amba bhadraṁ te khalānāṁ mayi śāstari
O Sohn Surabhīs, klage nicht länger und fürchte diesen niederträchtigen vṛṣala nicht. O Kuhmutter, solange ich als Herrscher die Bösen zügle, weine nicht — dir wird Gutes widerfahren.
Protection of bulls and cows and all other animals can be possible only when there is a state ruled by an executive head like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Mahārāja Parīkṣit addresses the cow as mother, for he is a cultured, twice-born, kṣatriya king. Surabhi is the name of the cows which exist in the spiritual planets and are especially reared by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself. As men are made after the form and features of the Supreme Lord, so also the cows are made after the form and features of the surabhi cows in the spiritual kingdom. In the material world the human society gives all protection to the human being, but there is no law to protect the descendants of Surabhi, who can give all protection to men by supplying the miracle food, milk. But Mahārāja Parīkṣit and the Pāṇḍavas were fully conscious of the importance of the cow and bull, and they were prepared to punish the cow killer with all chastisement, including death. There has sometimes been agitation for the protection of the cow, but for want of pious executive heads and suitable laws, the cow and the bull are not given protection. The human society should recognize the importance of the cow and the bull and thus give all protection to these important animals, following in the footsteps of Mahārāja Parīkṣit. For protecting the cows and brahminical culture, the Lord, who is very kind to the cow and the brāhmaṇas ( go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ), will be pleased with us and will bestow upon us real peace.
FAQs
This verse shows Parīkṣit assuring Dharma (the bull) and Earth (the cow) that Kali’s fear should cease because a righteous chastiser restrains the wicked and safeguards dharma.
Seeing Kali attacking the bull and the cow, Parīkṣit—acting as an ideal kṣatriya—comforted them and vowed to punish wrongdoing so that adharma would not spread unchecked.
Do not normalize harm and corruption; protect the vulnerable, uphold ethical principles, and ensure accountability—leadership and personal responsibility are meant to restrain “Kali-like” tendencies.