Shloka 1
Cavana’s Tests of Kuśika and the Queen (अध्याय ५३: च्यवन–कुशिक-परिक्षा)
भीकम (2 अमान पज्चाशत्तमो<्ध्याय: गौओंकी महिमाके प्रसंगमें च्यवन मुनिके उपाख्यानका आरम्भ
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca—darśane kīdṛśaḥ snehaḥ saṃvāse ca pitāmaha? mahābhāgyaṃ gavāṃ caiva tan me vyākhyātum arhasi.
Yudhiṣṭhira dit : «Grand-père, quelle sorte d’affection naît du seul fait de voir quelqu’un, et quelle sorte grandit par la vie en commun ? Et quelle est la grande bénédiction, la sainte excellence des vaches ? Je t’en prie, explique-le-moi en détail.»
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical inquiry into how human attachment forms—through mere perception versus sustained companionship—and introduces the dharmic theme of the cow’s sanctity and beneficence, inviting a normative explanation from Bhīṣma.
Yudhiṣṭhira begins a new line of questioning to Bhīṣma, asking him to explain the nature of affection and to expound the greatness of cows, which sets up the ensuing discourse and related exemplum (upākhyāna) in the chapter.