Shloka 16
नियोगप्रसङ्गः — The Niyoga Episode: Births of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu, and Vidura
उपपन्नां गुणै: सर्वे: शीलेनानुत्तमेन च । एवंगुणसमायुक्तां वसवे वसुनन्दिनी
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
upapannāṃ guṇaiḥ sarvaiḥ śīlenānuttamena ca |
evaṃguṇasamāyuktāṃ vasave vasunandinīm ||
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「あらゆる徳を具え、比類なき品性と行いをもつその牝牛――かくも諸徳に満ちた牝牛を、女神はヴァスに示し、ヴァスたちを喜ばせるものとした。」
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds śīla (character) as the highest excellence: even when something is attractive or beneficial, its true value is framed through virtue and right conduct. In the larger episode, this becomes a moral contrast—coveting what belongs to a sage leads to wrongdoing and its consequences.
Vaiśampāyana describes a supremely virtuous, excellent cow being shown to a Vasu (Dyau) by the goddess. In the surrounding story, this sight becomes the trigger for desire and a plan to obtain the cow associated with Vasiṣṭha, setting up the later conflict and curse.