Shloka 47
कपिल–स्यूमरश्मि संवादः
Kapila and Syūmaraśmi on Renunciation, Householder Support, and Epistemic Authority
अधघ्न्या इति गवां नाम क एता हन्तुम्ति । महच्चकाराकुशल वृष॑ं गां वाउडलभेत् तु यः
adhaghnye iti gavāṁ nāma; ka etā hantuṁ hi? mahac ca karoty akuśalaṁ yo vṛṣaṁ gāṁ vā uḍḍalabheta tu yaḥ.
「ヴェーダは牛を『アドハグニー（殺してはならぬもの）』と呼ぶ。これを知りながら、誰が殺そうなどと思うだろうか。牛や牡牛を殺す者は大罪を犯し、重い罪業を負う。」
तुलाधार उवाच
Educational Q&A
Śruti designates the cow as ‘adhaghnī’ (not to be slain); therefore harming or killing cows and bulls is presented as a serious adharma that generates great pāpa. The verse grounds ethical restraint in scriptural authority and compassion.
In the Śānti Parva’s dialogue, Tulādhāra instructs on righteous conduct. Here he argues that since the Vedic tradition treats cows as inviolable, a dharmic person should not contemplate their killing, and he condemns such violence as a grave moral fault.