Shloka 213
Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ
Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers
नानावर्णत्वमनयन्मेघानिव दिवाकर: । प्रजानाथ! रुद्रका वह भयंकर तेज जिन-जिन कपिलाओंपर पड़ा
nānāvarṇatvam anayan meghān iva divākaraḥ | prajānātha! rudrakā vaha bhayaṅkara teja jin-jin kapilāoṃpar paṛā, unke raṅga nānā prakārake ho gaye | jaise sūrya bādalokoṃ apnī kiraṇoṃse bahuraṅgā banā dete haiṃ, usī prakāra us tejne un sabko nānā varṇavālī kara diyā |
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai tuan segala makhluk, tenaga dahsyat yang lahir daripada Rudra itu menjadikan mereka beraneka warna, sebagaimana matahari dengan sinarnya membuat awan tampak berwarna-warni. Demikian juga, di mana sahaja sinar garang itu jatuh ke atas yang berwarna kekuningan, rona mereka pun menjadi pelbagai.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how overwhelming divine/ascetic energy (tejas) can transform appearances and conditions, using a natural simile (sun colouring clouds) to convey the irresistible, world-shaping force of higher power—an ethical reminder that rulers and beings alike are subject to forces beyond ordinary control.
Bhīṣma describes a fearsome radiance associated with Rudra that falls upon the ‘kapilā’ beings and makes their colours change into many hues, likening the effect to sunlight making clouds look multicoloured.