Shloka 17

Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ

Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers

Devanagari script

स गतस्तस्य तृप्तिं तु गन्धं सुरभिमुद्विरन्‌ । ददर्शोद्वारसंवृत्तां सुरभिं मुखजां सुताम्‌

Transliteration

sa gatastasyāḥ tṛptiṁ tu gandhaṁ surabhim udviran | dadarśa udvāra-saṁvṛttāṁ surabhīṁ mukhajāṁ sutām ||

Translation

ଅମୃତ ପାନ କରି ସେ ଯେତେବେଳେ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ତୃପ୍ତ ହେଲେ, ତେବେ ତାଙ୍କ ମୁଖରୁ ମନୋହର ସୁଗନ୍ଧ ବାହାରିଲା। ସେହି ସୁଗନ୍ଧ ସହିତ ‘ସୁରଭି’ ନାମକ ଗାଈ ପ୍ରକଟ ହେଲା; ପ୍ରଜାପତି ତାକୁ ନିଜ ମୁଖଜାତ କନ୍ୟା ଭାବେ ଦେଖିଲେ।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गतः: gone; having gone
• गतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तृप्तिम्: satiation, satisfaction
• तृप्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but, then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• गन्धम्: smell, fragrance
• गन्धम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सुरभिम्: fragrant, sweet-smelling
• सुरभिम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरभि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उद्विरन्: emitting, sending forth
• उद्विरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√वृ (वृञ्/वृ)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ददर्श: saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• उद्वार-संवृत्ताम्: closed at the door/entrance; shut in at the doorway
• उद्वार-संवृत्ताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्वारसंवृत्ता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• सुरभिम्: Surabhi (the cow)
• सुरभिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरभि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• मुख-जाम्: born from the mouth
• मुख-जाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुखजा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सुताम्: daughter
• सुताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Prajāpati
• Surabhī (divine cow)
• Amṛta (nectar)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage frames auspicious creation as arising from purity and fulfillment: after the nectar brings complete satiation, a beneficent manifestation (Surabhī) emerges, symbolizing nourishment, abundance, and the sacred value of the cow within dharmic order.

What is happening in the narrative?

After drinking amṛta and becoming fully satisfied, a fragrant scent issues from Prajāpati’s mouth; with that fragrance, the divine cow Surabhī appears, regarded as his mouth-born daughter.