Shloka 10

गोप्रदानगुणाः तथा कपिलागोविधानम्

Merits of Cow-Gift and the Origin-Account of Kapilā Cows

Devanagari script

तत्र सर्वसहा: क्षान्ता वत्सला गुरुवर्तिन: । अहंकारैरविरहिता यान्ति शक्र नरोत्तमा:

Transliteration

tatra sarvasahāḥ kṣāntā vatsalā guruvartinaḥ | ahaṃkārair avirahītā yānti śakra narottamāḥ || indra!

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „In jenem Reich, o Śakra (Indra), erlangen es nur die Besten unter den Menschen: die alle Widerwärtigkeiten ertragen, geduldig und vergebungsbereit sind, von sanftem Mitgefühl, im Gehorsam gegenüber Ältesten und Lehrern leben und frei von Hochmut sind. Solche Tugenden — nicht Macht oder Rang — sind das Kennzeichen derer, die für jene höhere Welt taugen.“

Word by Word

• तत्र: there, in that place
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• सर्वसहाः: all-enduring, forbearing
• सर्वसहाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वसह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• क्षान्ताः: patient, forgiving
• क्षान्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वत्सलाः: affectionate, kind
• वत्सलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वत्सल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• गुरुवर्तिनः: obedient to elders/teachers
• गुरुवर्तिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरुवर्तिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अहंकारैः: by/with egoisms, prides
• अहंकारैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहंकार
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अविरहिताः: not separated (i.e., not free) from
• अविरहिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविरहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यान्ति: go, attain
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (याति)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• शक्र: O Śakra (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• नरोत्तमाः: best of men
• नरोत्तमाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरोत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इन्द्र: O Indra
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

पितामह उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)
• Indra (Śakra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that true excellence and eligibility for a higher realm come from ethical virtues—endurance, forgiveness, compassion, obedience to elders/teachers, and freedom from ego—rather than from external achievements or power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha) addresses Indra (Śakra), describing the kind of people who attain that exalted realm: those who embody patience, compassion, disciplined respect for gurus/elders, and humility.