Shloka 28

Devanagari script

यतः कुतश्चित् संप्राप्य गोभ्यो वापि गवाह्निकम् अभावे प्रीणयन्न् अस्माञ् श्रद्धायुक्तः प्रदास्यति

Transliteration

yataḥ kutaścit saṃprāpya gobhyo vāpi gavāhnikam abhāve prīṇayann asmāñ śraddhāyuktaḥ pradāsyati

Translation

Having obtained it from wherever he can, he should, with faith, offer the daily due for cows (gavāhnika); or, if that is not possible, he should still give what he can, intent on pleasing us through his sincerity.

Word by Word

• यतः: from wherever
• यतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक/अपादानार्थक अव्यय (from wherever/whence)

• कुतश्चित्: from some place
• कुतश्चित्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतस् (अव्यय) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अनिश्चितदेशवाचक अव्यय (from somewhere or other)

• संप्राप्य: having obtained
• संप्राप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): having obtained/reached

• गोभ्यः: for the cows
• गोभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (गो-शब्दः), चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (for the cows)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (or)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय निपात (also/even)

• गव-अह्निकम्: a daily portion for cows
• गव-अह्निकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गव (गो-प्रातिपदिकस्य षष्ठी-बहुवचन-आधारः) + अह्निक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular); अर्थः—गवाम् अह्निकम् (daily offering/portion for cows)

• अभावे: in the absence (of that)
• अभावे: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

• प्रीणयन्: pleasing
• प्रीणयन्: Karta (Agent-participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री (धातु) [णिच्]
• Form: शतृ (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (pleasing/satisfying)

• अस्मान्: us
• अस्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Accusative plural pronoun)

• श्रद्धा-युक्तः: endowed with faith
• श्रद्धा-युक्तः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (endowed with faith)

• प्रदास्यति: will offer
• प्रदास्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (he will give/offer)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Offering ‘gavāhnikam’ (daily due for cows) and the principle that faith compensates for scarcity

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: One should procure and offer the daily service/due for cows as best as possible; if unable, one should still give what one can with faith, aiming to please the divine through sincerity.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Support life-sustaining, compassionate duties (care for animals, food security, service) consistently; when resources are scarce, keep the vow in a smaller form rather than dropping it.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma as loving service within the Lord’s body (the world and beings as His śarīra) makes compassion to creatures—especially cows—an act of devotion.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Characters & Entities

• Cows (Go)
• Devas (implied by 'asmān')

FAQs

What is the significance of serving cows (gau-sevā) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse treats the cow as a primary recipient of daily dharmic care; even when full offerings are impossible, sincere effort and faith sustain the merit of the act.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of śraddhā (faith) in giving?

Parāśara emphasizes intention: if the prescribed daily portion cannot be met, one should still give with śraddhā, aiming to please the divine through sincerity rather than quantity.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named, the verse aligns with Vaiṣṇava dharma: maintaining cosmic order through disciplined, faith-filled duties, where devotion expressed as righteous conduct becomes an offering to the Supreme.