Shloka 16

Suvarṇa-dāna: Kārttikeya’s Origin and the Defeat of Tāraka (सुवर्णदान-प्रसङ्गे कार्त्तिकेय-उत्पत्ति तथा तारकवधः)

Devanagari script

तेन त्वमासां माहात्म्यं वेत्सि शृणु यत्‌ प्रभो । गवां प्रभाव परमं माहात्म्यं च सुरर्षभ,तब ब्रह्माजीने बलसूदन इन्द्रसे कहा--“बलासुरका विनाश करनेवाले देवेन्द्र! तुमने सदा गौओंकी अवहेलना की है। प्रभो! इसीलिये तुम इनका माहात्म्य नहीं जानते। सुरश्रेष्ठ! गौओंका महान्‌ प्रभाव और माहात्म्य मैं बताता हूँ, सुनो

Transliteration

tena tvam āsāṁ māhātmyaṁ vetsi śṛṇu yat prabho | gavāṁ prabhāva paramaṁ māhātmyaṁ ca surarṣabha ||

Translation

“Therefore, O lord, you do not truly know the greatness of these cows. Listen, O master. O best among the gods, I shall tell you the supreme power and sacred majesty of the cows.”

Word by Word

• {'tena': 'therefore

• for that reason', 'tvam': 'you', 'āsām': 'of these (feminine plural genitive)

• here: of these cows', 'māhātmyam': 'greatness

• exalted glory', 'vetsi': 'you know (2nd person singular, present)', 'śṛṇu': 'listen (imperative)', 'yat': 'which

• that (introducing what is to be heard/said)', 'prabho': 'O lord

• O master', 'gavām': 'of cows (genitive plural of go)', 'prabhāvaḥ': 'power

• wondrous potency', 'paramam': 'supreme

• highest', 'ca': 'and', 'surarṣabha': 'O bull among the gods

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• cows (go/gavām)
• surarṣabha (best among the gods; addressee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames reverence toward cows as a matter of dharma: their spiritual greatness and beneficial potency are to be understood through attentive listening and respectful acknowledgment, not neglect.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma begins an instructive discourse, telling the addressed ‘best of the gods’ that he does not know the cows’ true majesty and then inviting him to listen as Bhishma explains their supreme power and sacred status.