Chapter 85: Suvarṇasya Janma ca Pradāna-Phalam
The Origin of Gold and the Merit of Gifting
गाव ऊचु: कासि देवि कुतो वा त्वं रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि । विस्मिता: सम महाभागे तव रूपस्य सम्पदा
gāva ūcuḥ—kāsi devi kuto vā tvaṃ rūpeṇāpratimā bhuvi | vismitāḥ sma mahābhāge tava rūpasya sampadā ||
The cows said: “O goddess, who are you, and from where have you come? On this earth there is no equal to you in beauty. O noble lady, we are astonished by the splendor and perfection of your form.”
भीष्म उवाच
The verse models dharmic speech: approaching the divine with humility, respectful address, and truthful admiration, recognizing extraordinary excellence without envy or aggression.
Within Bhīṣma’s narration, a group of cows encounter a radiant, incomparable divine lady and, struck with wonder, ask her identity and origin while praising her unmatched beauty.