Shloka 61
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
बालवसत्सां च ये धेनुं दुहन्ति क्षीरकारणात् । तेषां दोषान् प्रवक्ष्यामि तान् निबोध शचीपते
bālavatsāṁ ca ye dhenuṁ duhanti kṣīra-kāraṇāt | teṣāṁ doṣān pravakṣyāmi tān nibodha śacīpate ||
ശക്രൻ പറഞ്ഞു—പാൽ ലഭിക്കണമെന്ന ലാഭത്തിനായി ചെറുകിടാവുള്ള ധേനുവിനെയും കറക്കുന്നവരുടെ ദോഷങ്ങൾ ഞാൻ പ്രസ്താവിക്കും. ശചീപതേ, ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ കേൾക്കുക.
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse introduces an ethical critique: exploiting a cow that is still nursing a young calf—motivated purely by one’s own gain—is treated as blameworthy. It frames dharma as restraint and compassion, especially toward dependent beings.
Śakra (Indra) begins a didactic passage, announcing that he will enumerate the moral faults incurred by those who milk a cow with a young calf for the sake of milk, and he calls upon Śacī’s lord (i.e., himself addressed in relation to Śacī) to attend carefully to the forthcoming explanation.