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Shloka 14

Suvarṇa-janma and Dakṣiṇā-Māhātmya

Origin and Supremacy of Gold as Ritual Fee

त्वचा लोम्नाथशंगैर्वा वालै: क्षीरेण मेदसा । यज्ञ वहति सम्भूय किमस्त्यभ्यधिकं ततः

tvacā lomnāthaśaṅgair vā vālaiḥ kṣīreṇa medasā | yajñaṁ vahati sambhūya kim asty abhyadhikaṁ tataḥ ||

ヴァシシュタは言った。「その皮、毛、骨と角、尾の毛、乳と脂——それらすべてを合わせて——牝牛は祭祀(ヤジュニャ)の秩序を支え保つ。ゆえに、彼女に勝るものがいったい何であろうか。」

त्वचाby (its) skin/hide
त्वचा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootत्वच्
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
रोम्णाby hair
रोम्णा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootरोमन्
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
अथand/then
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
शृङ्गैःby horns
शृङ्गैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootशृङ्ग
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
वाor/also
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
वालैःby tail-hairs
वालैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootवाल
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
क्षीरेणby milk
क्षीरेण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootक्षीर
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
मेदसाby fat/tallow
मेदसा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootमेदस्
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
यज्ञम्sacrifice (yajña)
यज्ञम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootयज्ञ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
वहतिbears/sustains/carries on
वहति:
TypeVerb
Rootवह्
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
सम्भूयhaving come together/combined
सम्भूय:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसम्-भू
Formक्त्वा (absolutive)
किम्what?
किम्:
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
अस्तिis/exists
अस्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
अभ्यधिकम्superior/greater
अभ्यधिकम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootअभ्यधिक
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
ततःthan that/from that
ततः:
Apadana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular

वसिष्ठ उवाच

V
Vasiṣṭha
Y
yajña
G
gau (cow)
T
tvac (hide)
L
loman (hair)
A
asthi (bones)
Ś
śṛṅga/śaṅga (horns)
V
vāla (tail-hair)
K
kṣīra (milk)
M
medas (fat/ghee-source)

Educational Q&A

The cow is portrayed as uniquely dharmic because her various products and even bodily parts are understood to support yajña and communal religious life; therefore she deserves special protection, gratitude, and non-violence.

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-oriented discourse, Vasiṣṭha argues for the cow’s preeminence by listing how her milk, fat (ghee), and other associated materials are used to sustain sacrificial rites, concluding that nothing surpasses her in service to yajña.