Shloka 47
Chapter 84: Brahmā’s Counsel on Tāraka, the Search for Agni, and the Genesis of Skanda
Kārttikeya
इत्युक्त: स महातेजा: शुक: पित्रा महात्मना । पूजयामास गां नित्यं तस्मात् त्वमपि पूजय,युधिष्ठिर! अपने महात्मा पिता व्यासजीके ऐसा कहनेपर महातेजस्वी शुकदेवजी प्रतिदिन गौकी सेवा-पूजा करने लगे; इसलिये तुम भी गौओंकी सेवा-पूजा करो
ity uktaḥ sa mahātejāḥ śukaḥ pitrā mahātmanā | pūjayāmāsa gāṃ nityaṃ tasmāt tvam api pūjaya, yudhiṣṭhira ||
Vyāsa berkata: Setelah ditegur demikian oleh ayahnya yang berhati luhur, Śuka yang bercahaya pun mula memuliakan dan berkhidmat kepada lembu setiap hari. Oleh itu, wahai Yudhiṣṭhira, engkau juga hendaklah memuliakan dan memelihara lembu.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that honoring and caring for cows is a daily dharmic practice. By citing Śuka’s example, Vyāsa urges Yudhiṣṭhira to cultivate reverence, compassion, and protective responsibility toward life-sustaining beings.
Vyāsa narrates that after being instructed by his father (Vyāsa himself), Śuka began to worship/serve the cow every day. Vyāsa then directly exhorts Yudhiṣṭhira to follow the same practice.