नियोगप्रसङ्गः — The Niyoga Episode: Births of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu, and Vidura
दर्शयामास राजेन्द्र पुरा पौरवनन्दन । द्यौस्तदा तां तु दृष्टवैव गां गजेन्द्रेन्द्रविक्रम
vaiśampāyana uvāca | darśayāmāsa rājendra purā pauravanandana | dyauḥ tadā tāṃ tu dṛṣṭvaiva gāṃ gajendrendra-vikrama vṛṣabhake-samāṃ viśālā-netrāṃ mahārāja |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai raja, penggembira wangsa Puru, pada masa silam sang dewi memperlihatkan sapi itu kepada suaminya, Dyau. Dyau, perkasa laksana raja gajah, begitu memandangnya seketika tertegun oleh keunggulannya.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse sets up an ethical tension: extraordinary benefits attached to a sacred object can provoke desire, but dharma requires restraint and respect for rightful ownership. The narrative foreshadows how coveting what belongs to a sage or another person leads to moral and karmic consequences.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that, in ancient times, a goddess showed her husband Dyau (a Vasu) a magnificent, broad-eyed cow. Dyau, impressed at first sight, observes her exceptional qualities—introducing the famed cow whose possession becomes central to the ensuing episode.