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Shloka 73

गवां मध्ये तु पठतो गावो<स्य बहुवत्सला: । प्रस्थाने वा प्रवासे वा सर्वावस्थां गत: पठेत्‌

gavāṁ madhye tu paṭhato gāvo ’sya bahuvatsalāḥ | prasthāne vā pravāse vā sarvāvasthāṁ gataḥ paṭhet |

Bhishma sprach: Wer (den heiligen Gesang) inmitten der Kühe rezitiert, dem werden die Kühe überaus zugetan. Darum soll man, sei es zur Zeit des Aufbruchs oder in der Fremde, in welcher Lage man sich auch befindet, diese Rezitation fortsetzen. Die Lehre betont die Beständigkeit der spirituellen Übung und die sanfte, schützende Gegenseitigkeit, die sie in den Lebewesen hervorruft.

गवाम्of cows
गवाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootगो
FormFeminine, Genitive, Plural
मध्येin the midst
मध्ये:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमध्य
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
तुindeed/and
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
पठतःwhile (he) recites
पठतः:
TypeVerb
Rootपठ्
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
गावःcows
गावः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगो
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
अस्यof him / towards him
अस्य:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
बहुवत्सलाःvery affectionate (having much fondness)
बहुवत्सलाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootबहुवत्सल
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
प्रस्थानेat departure-time
प्रस्थाने:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootप्रस्थान
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
प्रवासेin travel/abroad
प्रवासे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootप्रवास
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
सर्वावस्थाम्every condition/state
सर्वावस्थाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसर्वावस्था
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
गतःhaving gone/being in
गतः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootगम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, Past active participle (क्त)
पठेत्should recite
पठेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootपठ्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
C
cows (gāvaḥ)
G
Gāyatrī (implied by the traditional gloss)

Educational Q&A

Maintain regular sacred recitation (japa/paṭhana) in all circumstances—at home, at departure, or while traveling—because such steadiness cultivates auspiciousness and draws gentle goodwill, symbolized here by the cows’ increased affection.

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he states a practical observance: reciting sacred mantra/chant in the presence of cows makes them especially affectionate toward the reciter, and he extends this into a broader rule of life—continue the practice regardless of one’s situation.