Shloka 67
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
न तेषां क्षीरपा: केचिज्जायन्ते कुलवर्धना: । प्रजाक्षयेण युज्यन्ते कुलवंशक्षयेण च
na teṣāṃ kṣīrapāḥ kecij jāyante kulavardhanāḥ | prajā-kṣayeṇa yujyante kula-vaṃśa-kṣayeṇa ca ||
Dijo Śakra: «Quienes beben leche ordeñando a vacas que aún tienen crías jóvenes no engendran hijos que sean “bebedores de leche” en el sentido debido, ni acrecentadores del linaje. Quedan afligidos por la pérdida de descendencia, y su clan y su estirpe se consumen.»
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Exploiting a cow’s milk when her calf is still dependent—taking without due restraint and care—is treated as adharma; the text warns that such greed harms one’s own future through loss of progeny and decline of family lineage.
Śakra (Indra) delivers a moral warning: people who improperly consume milk taken from cows with young calves will not produce worthy offspring and will suffer prajā-kṣaya (loss of children) and kula-vaṃśa-kṣaya (decline of clan and lineage).