Shloka 21
Chapter 85: Suvarṇasya Janma ca Pradāna-Phalam
The Origin of Gold and the Merit of Gifting
माननामहमिच्छामि भवत्य: सततं शिवा: । अप्येकांगेष्वधो वस्तुमिच्छामि च सुकुत्सिते,गौओ! मैं तुमसे सम्मान चाहती हूँ। तुम सदा सबका कल्याण करनेवाली हो। तुम्हारे किसी एक अंगमें, नीचेके कुत्सित अंगमें भी यदि स्थान मिल जाय तो मैं उसमें रहना चाहती हूँ
mānanam aham icchāmi bhavatyaḥ satataṃ śivāḥ | apy ekāṅgeṣv adho vastuṃ icchāmi ca sukutsitāḥ |
Bhīṣma berkata: “Aku memohon penghormatan daripada kamu. Kamu sentiasa membawa keberkatan dan sentiasa menghendaki kesejahteraan semua. Walaupun aku hanya diberi tempat pada satu bahagian tubuhmu—di bahagian bawah, di kawasan yang dipandang hina dan tidak suci—aku tetap ingin tinggal di situ.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes reverence toward beings regarded as auspicious and welfare-giving (here, cows), and models humility: even a lowly or impure place is acceptable if it is connected with what is deemed sacred and beneficial.
Bhishma speaks in praise of the cows, expressing a desire for their honor and declaring that he would accept residence even in a despised lower part of their body—an extreme statement meant to convey devotion, valuation of their auspiciousness, and the ethical duty of honoring them.