Shloka 114
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
प्राणस्य सदृशं पश्येद्गां च सामान्यविग्रहम् । अस्य देहे सुखंदुःखं तथा तस्यैव कल्पते
prāṇasya sadṛśaṃ paśyedgāṃ ca sāmānyavigraham | asya dehe sukhaṃduḥkhaṃ tathā tasyaiva kalpate
പശുവിനെ സ്വന്തം പ്രാണശ്വാസംപോലെ, സമാന ദേഹധർമ്മമുള്ളവളായി കാണണം; ഈ ദേഹത്തിൽ ഉണ്ടാകുന്ന സുഖദുഃഖം അവൾക്കും അതുപോലെ തന്നെയെന്ന് ധരിക്കണം।
Unspecified (contextual narrator/instructor voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa; exact dialogue speaker not provided in the input)
Concept: See the cow as sharing the same embodied vulnerability as oneself; her pleasure and pain are ethically continuous with one’s own.
Application: Practice ahimsā in livelihood: ensure humane treatment, adequate fodder/water, rest, and medical care for cattle; cultivate empathy-based decision-making in work and consumption.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A quiet village cowshed becomes a sanctum: a devotee places a gentle hand on a cow’s forehead, eyes softened with recognition that her breath and his breath are one rhythm. In the background, a small Vishnu shrine with a lamp suggests that compassion itself is worship.","primary_figures":["compassionate householder/devotee","cow (gauḥ)","calf","Vishnu (as small shrine icon)"],"setting":"agrarian courtyard with cowshed, earthen water trough, tulasi planter near a small household shrine","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["warm ochre","lamp-gold","leaf green","milk white","indigo shadow"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a serene household gośālā scene with a devotee honoring a white cow and calf, a small Viṣṇu icon in a niche behind, heavy gold leaf halos on the shrine and lamp flame, rich vermilion and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on the deity, ornate floral borders, sacred calm and moral tenderness.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical village courtyard with delicate lines, a gentle cow nuzzling a devotee’s palm, distant fields and low hills, cool yet tender palette, refined faces, soft washes, a tiny Viṣṇu shrine with a flickering lamp, emphasis on empathy and quiet dharma.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments, stylized cow and devotee in frontal grace, a small Viṣṇu shrine panel with lamp and conch motifs, red-yellow-green dominance with controlled indigo, large expressive eyes conveying compassion, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: cow and calf foregrounded with lotus and creeper borders, a small Viṣṇu/Śrī motif above, intricate floral patterns, deep blue background with gold highlights, devotional domesticity presented as sacred service, peacocks and lotuses subtly framing the scene."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bell","cow lowing in distance","evening lamp crackle","gentle silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पश्येद्गाम् = पश्येत् + गाम्; सुखंदुःखं = सुखम् + दुःखम्; तस्यैव = तस्य + एव.
FAQs
It teaches empathetic non-violence: treat the cow’s experience of pleasure and pain as comparable to one’s own, grounding an ethic of compassion and protection.
By equating the cow with one’s own prāṇa (life-breath) and emphasizing shared embodied vulnerability, it frames care for cows as care for life itself.
It is strongly moral: the focus is on recognizing shared suffering and well-being, which supports dharmic conduct such as go-sevā (service to cows) and ahiṃsā (non-harm).