Shloka 28

Devanagari script

पशुदा वित्तदा चैव सुखदा च महायशा: । पयोदा गोमहिषदा सुविशाला च भारत

Transliteration

paśudā vittadā caiva sukhadā ca mahāyaśāḥ | payodā gomahiṣadā suviśālā ca bhārata

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O Bhārata, (these cows) are givers of livestock, givers of wealth, and givers of comfort; they are of great renown. They yield milk, they bestow cows and buffaloes (i.e., increase one’s herds), and they are broad and well-built.”

Word by Word

पशुदाgiver of cattle/animals

वित्तदाgiver of wealth

चand

एवindeed/just

सुखदाgiver of happiness/comfort

चand

महायशाःof great fame/glory

पयोदाgiver of milk

गोमहिषदाgiver of cows and buffaloes

सुविशालाvery large/broad

चand

भारतO Bharata (descendant of Bharata)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhārata (Janamejaya)

cows (go)

buffaloes (mahiṣa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises cows as a dharmic source of sustenance and prosperity—supporting livelihood (livestock), wealth, and comfort—thereby implying the ethical value of protecting and gifting such life-supporting resources in accordance with dāna-dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, narrating to King Janamejaya, describes the qualities and benefits of cows (notably their milk and their role in increasing herds), in a context that highlights their esteemed status and the merit associated with their possession or gifting.