Shloka 34
Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ
Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers
वैशम्पायन उवाच पितामहस्याथ निशम्य वाक्य राजा सह भ्रातृभिराजमीढ: । सुवर्णवर्णानडुहस्तथा गा: पार्थो ददौ ब्राह्मणसत्तमेभ्य:
vaiśampāyana uvāca
pitāmahasyātha niśamya vākyaṁ rājā saha bhrātṛbhir ājamīḍhaḥ |
suvarṇavarṇān aḍuhas tathā gāḥ pārtho dadau brāhmaṇasattamebhyaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ô roi ! Après avoir entendu les paroles du vénérable Bhīṣma, le roi Yudhiṣṭhira de la lignée d’Ājamīḍha—avec ses frères—fit un don conforme au dharma aux plus éminents brāhmanes : des taureaux à la teinte d’or et des vaches d’excellence.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma expressed through dāna: a righteous king, after heeding an elder’s counsel, supports the foremost Brāhmaṇas with valuable gifts (cows and bulls), reinforcing generosity, respect for spiritual authority, and ethical governance.
After listening to Bhīṣma’s instruction, Yudhiṣṭhira—together with his brothers—performs a donation, giving golden-hued bulls and fine cows to eminent Brāhmaṇas, marking a concrete act of compliance with Bhīṣma’s dharma-teachings.