Shloka 10

Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ

Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच वृद्धानां ब्रुवतां तात श्रुतं मे यत्‌ पुरातनम्‌ । वक्ष्यामि तदशेषेण रोहिण्यो निर्मिता यथा,भीष्मजीने कहा--बेटा! मैंने बड़े-बूढ़ोंके मुँहसे रोहिणी (कपिला) की उत्पत्तिका जो प्राचीन वृत्तान्त सुना है, वह सब तुम्हें बता रहा हूँ

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca vṛddhānāṃ bruvatāṃ tāta śrutaṃ me yat purātanam | vakṣyāmi tadaśeṣeṇa rohiṇyo nirmitā yathā ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “Dear child, I have heard from the words of the elders an ancient account. I shall recount it to you in full—how Rohiṇī (the tawny cow, Kapilā) came to be created.”

Word by Word

• {'bhīṣma uvāca': 'Bhishma said', 'vṛddhānām': 'of the elders

• of the aged and experienced', 'bruvatām': 'of those speaking

• as they narrate', 'tāta': 'dear child

• a term of affectionate address', 'śrutam me': 'heard by me

• I have heard', 'yat': 'which

• that which', 'purātanam': 'ancient

• belonging to old tradition', 'vakṣyāmi': 'I shall tell

• I will explain', 'tat': 'that (account)', 'aśeṣeṇa': 'without remainder

• completely, in full', 'rohiṇyaḥ': 'Rohiṇī

• also understood as Kapilā, the tawny cow (as a revered figure/object of discourse)', 'nirmitā': 'created

• brought into being', 'yathā': 'how

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Rohiṇī (Kapilā cow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes dharmic transmission: authoritative knowledge is preserved through elders and should be conveyed faithfully and completely. It frames the forthcoming account as a traditional, ethically significant narrative rather than mere entertainment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma begins a new episode, telling his listener that he will narrate an ancient tradition he heard from elders—specifically, the full story of how Rohiṇī (identified in the commentary as Kapilā, the tawny cow) was created.