Shloka 5

स्त्रीणां माहात्म्यप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into the Excellence of Women

Pativratā-Dharma

Devanagari script

ददामि ते रोहिणीनां सहस्त्रं प्रियो हि मे ब्राह्मणो याचमान: । न मे मन: कुप्यति याचमाने दत्त न शोचामि कदाचिदर्थम्‌,मैं आपको लाल रंगकी एक हजार गौएँ देता हूँ; क्योंकि न्याययुक्त याचना करनेवाला ब्राह्मण मुझे बहुत प्रिय है। मेरे मनमें याचकपर कभी क्रोध नहीं आता है और न मैं कभी दिये हुए धनके लिये पश्चात्ताप ही करता हूँ

Transliteration

dadāmi te rohiṇīnāṃ sahasraṃ priyo hi me brāhmaṇo yācamānaḥ | na me manaḥ kupyati yācamāne dattaṃ na śocāmi kadācid artham ||

Translation

Der König sprach: «Ich gebe dir tausend rötliche (rohiṇī) Kühe; denn ein Brahmane, der in rechter Weise bittet, ist mir lieb. Mein Sinn wird niemals zornig über den Bittenden, und ich bereue niemals Reichtum, sobald er gegeben ist.»

Word by Word

• {'dadāmi': 'I give', 'te': 'to you', 'rohiṇīnām': 'of rohiṇī cows

• reddish/ginger-colored cows (a valued type)', 'sahasram': 'a thousand', 'priyaḥ': 'dear, beloved', 'hi': 'indeed, for', 'me': 'to me, my', 'brāhmaṇaḥ': 'a Brahmin', 'yācamānaḥ': 'one who is asking/begging (a petitioner)', 'na': 'not', 'manaḥ': 'mind', 'kupyati': 'becomes angry, is irritated', 'yācamāne': 'when (someone is) asking

• toward the petitioner', 'dattam': 'what has been given', 'śocāmi': 'I grieve/regret', 'kadācit': 'ever, at any time', 'artham': 'wealth, property, material goods'}

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (Brahmin speaker)
• रोहिणी गौः (rohiṇī cows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds dāna-dharma: giving to a worthy petitioner without anger and without later regret. True generosity is marked not only by the size of the gift but by inner steadiness—freedom from irritation at being asked and freedom from remorse after giving.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brahmin speaker responds to a request by granting a substantial gift—one thousand rohiṇī (reddish) cows—and declares his personal vow-like disposition: he does not become angry at petitioners and does not lament wealth once donated.