Shloka 27

Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ

Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers

Devanagari script

वृषभं च ददौ तस्मै सह गोभि: प्रजापति:

Transliteration

vṛṣabhaṃ ca dadau tasmai saha gobhiḥ prajāpatiḥ

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Prajāpati schenkte ihm auch einen Stier, zusammen mit Kühen. Diese Gabe unterstreicht das dharmische Ideal: Lebensunterhalt, Opfer und Gemeinwohl durch großzügige Spenden von Rindern zu fördern — Sinnbilder von Wohlstand und gerechtem Unterhalt.“

Word by Word

• वृषभम्: a bull
• वृषभम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ददौ: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• गोभिः: with cows
• गोभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रजापतिः: Prajāpati (lord of creatures)
• प्रजापतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Prajāpati
• vṛṣabha (bull)
• go (cows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dāna as a pillar of dharma: gifting cattle (cows and a bull) is portrayed as a meritorious act that sustains household economy, agriculture, and sacrificial/ritual life, thereby benefiting both giver and society.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma continues an instruction on righteous conduct and meritorious gifts, stating that Prajāpati granted someone a bull along with cows—an exemplary bestowal indicating honor, prosperity, and dharmic support.