Shloka 11

Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ

Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers

Devanagari script

प्रजा: सृजेति चादिष्ट: पूर्व दक्ष: स्वयम्भुवा । असृजद्‌ वृत्तिमेवाग्रे प्रजानां हितकाम्यया

Transliteration

prajāḥ sṛjeti cādiṣṭaḥ pūrvaṃ dakṣaḥ svayambhuvā | asṛjad vṛttim evāgre prajānāṃ hitakāmyayā ||

Translation

भीष्म म्हणाले—सृष्टीच्या आरंभी स्वयंभू ब्रह्म्याने पूर्वी दक्षाला आज्ञा दिली—“प्रजांची सृष्टी कर.” परंतु प्रजांच्या हिताची इच्छा धरून दक्षाने प्रथम त्यांच्या उपजीविकेची व्यवस्था केली; त्यानंतर प्रजासृष्टीचा आरंभ केला.

Word by Word

• प्रजाः: creatures, subjects
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• सृज: create
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इति: thus (quoting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

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

• आदिष्टः: commanded, instructed
• Type: Verb
• Root: आदिश्
• Form: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• दक्षः: Dakṣa (Prajāpati)
• दक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वयम्भुवा: by Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• स्वयम्भुवा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम्भू
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• असृजत्: created
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वृत्तिम्: livelihood, means of subsistence
• वृत्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अग्रे: at first, in the beginning
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र

• प्रजानाम्: of the creatures
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• हितकाम्यया: with the desire for (their) welfare
• हितकाम्यया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हितकाम्य
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Dakṣa (Prajāpati)
• Svayambhū (Brahmā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Before expanding population or undertaking grand projects, a ruler/creator must first secure vṛtti—sustainable livelihood and support systems—because true dharma prioritizes the welfare and stability of the people.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma recounts an early creation episode: Svayambhū instructs Prajāpati Dakṣa to create beings, but Dakṣa first arranges their livelihood, acting out of concern for their well-being.