Shloka 15

Gavāṃ Māhātmya — Go-dāna, Yajña-ādhāra, and Goloka

Brahmā–Indra–Surabhi Itihāsa

Devanagari script

वातरेणुसवर्णा तु सवत्सां कांस्यदोहनाम्‌ | प्रदाय वस्त्रसंवीतां वायुलोके महीयते

Transliteration

vātareṇusavarṇā tu savatsāṃ kāṃsyadohanām | pradāya vastrasaṃvītāṃ vāyuloke mahīyate ||

Translation

Vasiṣṭha sprach: Wer eine Kuh verschenkt, deren Farbe dem vom Wind aufgewirbelten Staub gleicht, zusammen mit ihrem Kalb, dazu ein bronzenes Melkgefäß, und sie mit einem Tuch bedeckt darbringt, wird in der Welt Vāyus geehrt.

Word by Word

• वातरेणुसवर्णाः: having the color of wind-blown dust
• वातरेणुसवर्णाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वातरेणुसवर्ण
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• सवत्साम्: together with a calf
• सवत्साम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सवत्स
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कांस्यदोहनाम्: having a bronze milking-vessel (bronze milk-pail)
• कांस्यदोहनाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कांस्यदोहन
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रदाय: having given
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• वस्त्रसंवीताम्: covered/wrapped with cloth
• वस्त्रसंवीताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वस्त्रसंवीत
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वायुलोके: in the world of Vāyu (Wind-god)
• वायुलोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायुलोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• महीयते: is honored/is worshipped
• Type: Verb
• Root: मह्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada (passive sense), 3rd, Singular

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वसिष्ठ (Vasiṣṭha)
• वायुलोक (Vāyuloka)
• गौ (cow)
• वत्स (calf)
• कांस्यदोहना (bronze milking vessel)
• वस्त्र (cloth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That a complete, considerate gift—here, a cow given with her calf, a proper milking vessel, and a cloth covering—constitutes dharmic charity and produces merit, symbolized by honor in Vāyu’s realm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha is describing the फल (result) of a specific form of go-dāna: donating a dust-colored cow along with supporting items; the stated outcome is reverence in Vāyuloka.