Shloka 10
Suvarṇa-janma and Dakṣiṇā-Māhātmya
Origin and Supremacy of Gold as Ritual Fee
पवित्रमग्रयं जगत: प्रतिष्ठा दिवौकसां मातरो<थाप्रमेया: । अन्वालभेद् दक्षिणतो व्रजेच्च दद्याच्च पात्रे प्रसमीक्ष्य कालम्
pavitram agryaṃ jagataḥ pratiṣṭhā divaukasāṃ mātaro ’thāprameyāḥ | anvālabhed dakṣiṇato vrajec ca dadyāc ca pātre prasamīkṣya kālam ||
Vasiṣṭha berkata: “Sapi adalah yang paling suci, penopang utama dunia, dan ibu bahkan bagi para penghuni surga; kemuliaannya tak terukur. Seseorang hendaknya menyentuhnya dengan hormat, berjalan dengan menempatkannya di sisi kanan, dan—setelah mempertimbangkan waktu yang tepat—mendermakannya kepada penerima yang layak, seorang brāhmaṇa yang patut.”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches reverence for the cow as a symbol of purity and cosmic support, and it frames charity as ethical discipline: donation should be done with respect, correct conduct (keeping the cow on one’s right), and careful judgment of both the proper time and the worthiness of the recipient.
Vasiṣṭha is instructing on dharma related to gifts and ritual conduct, specifically prescribing how one should honor a cow and how to perform go-dāna—by respectful touch, auspicious movement, and giving to a deserving brāhmaṇa at an appropriate time.