Shloka 27

Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ

Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers

Devanagari script

वृषभं च ददौ तस्मै सह गोभि: प्रजापति:

Transliteration

vṛṣabhaṃ ca dadau tasmai saha gobhiḥ prajāpatiḥ

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「プラジャーパティは彼に、牛たちとともに一頭の牡牛をも授けた。この贈与はダルマの理想を示す—生業と祭祀、そして社会の福祉を、繁栄と正しい扶養の象徴たる牛の布施によって支えるということだ。」

Word by Word

• वृषभम्: a bull
• वृषभम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ददौ: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• गोभिः: with cows
• गोभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रजापतिः: Prajāpati (lord of creatures)
• प्रजापतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Prajāpati
• vṛṣabha (bull)
• go (cows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dāna as a pillar of dharma: gifting cattle (cows and a bull) is portrayed as a meritorious act that sustains household economy, agriculture, and sacrificial/ritual life, thereby benefiting both giver and society.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma continues an instruction on righteous conduct and meritorious gifts, stating that Prajāpati granted someone a bull along with cows—an exemplary bestowal indicating honor, prosperity, and dharmic support.