Mahabharata 1.76.29 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 76, Shloka 29
ययाति–देवयानी संवादः
Yayāti–Devayānī Dialogue and Śukra’s Consent
हत्वा शालावृकेभ्यश्व प्रायच्छेललवश: कृतम् । ततो गावो निवृत्तास्ता अगोपा: स्वं निवेशनम्
Vaiśampāyana uvāca |
Hatvā śālāvṛkebhyaś ca prāyacchel lavaśaḥ kṛtam |
Tato gāvo nivṛttās tā agopāḥ svaṃ niveśanam ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Having slain them, he distributed the bodies in pieces to the dogs and jackals. Thereafter, those cows—left without any herdsman—returned on their own to their dwelling-place. The episode underscores a harsh, punitive response to predation, while also highlighting the instinctive order by which the cattle find their way home even in the absence of human protection.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse juxtaposes human punitive action against predators with the responsibility implied in cattle-protection: when guardianship fails (agopāḥ), the community’s vulnerability is exposed, yet the cattle’s return suggests an underlying natural order. Ethically, it invites reflection on protection, proportional response, and the social duty to safeguard dependents.
After killing the predators (or those responsible for harm), the speaker reports that the bodies were cut up and thrown/distributed to dogs and jackals. With no herdsman present, the cows nonetheless make their way back to their home enclosure.
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