Shloka 31

गोप्रदानगुणाः तथा कपिलागोविधानम्

Merits of Cow-Gift and the Origin-Account of Kapilā Cows

Devanagari script

यदेकभक्तमश्रीयाद्‌ दद्यादेकं गवां च यत्‌ । दशवर्षाण्यनन्तानि गोव्रती गो&$नुकम्पक:

Transliteration

pitāmaha uvāca | yad ekabhaktam āśrīyād dadyād ekaṃ gavāṃ ca yat | daśavarṣāṇy anantāni govratī go'nukampakaḥ ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯଦି କେହି ଏକବେଳିଆ ଭୋଜନର ନିୟମ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରି, ସେହି ଏକ ଭୋଜନରୁ ଗୋମାତାଙ୍କୁ ଏକ ଅଂଶ ଦିଏ; ଗୋବ୍ରତୀ ହୋଇ ଗାଈମାନଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ଦୟାଶୀଳ ରହି ଦଶ ବର୍ଷ ଏଭଳି ସେବାରେ ନିବିଡ଼ ରହେ—ତେବେ ସେ ଅନନ୍ତ ସୁଖ ପାଏ।

Word by Word

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एकभक्तम्: one meal (food taken once a day)
• एकभक्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकभक्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आश्रयात्: should resort to / should observe
• आश्रयात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि
• Form: Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एकम्: one (portion)
• एकम्: Karma
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गवाम्: of/for the cows
• गवाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

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

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दशवर्षाणि: ten years
• दशवर्षाणि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशवर्ष
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• अनन्तानि: endless (benefits/pleasures)
• अनन्तानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• गोव्रती: one observing the cow-vow
• गोव्रती: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोव्रतिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गोअनुकम्पकः: compassionate towards cows
• गोअनुकम्पकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोअनुकम्पक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

पितामह उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)
• cows (go/gavām)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A disciplined life (eating once daily) combined with consistent charity and compassion toward cows is presented as a dharmic practice that yields immeasurable spiritual and ethical reward.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, teaching dharma, describes a specific vow: the practitioner eats once a day and gives a portion of that meal to cows; sustained for ten years, this cow-service is said to lead to limitless happiness.