Shloka 25

Devanagari script

षण्णामेकां पिबेद्‌ धेनुं शताच्च मिथुन हरेत्‌ । लब्धाच्च सप्तमं भागं तथा शृड्गे कलां खुरे

Transliteration

ṣaṇṇām ekāṃ pibed dhenuṃ śatāc ca mithunaṃ haret | labdhāc ca saptamaṃ bhāgaṃ tathā śṛṅge kalāṃ khure ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯଦି କେହି ଅନ୍ୟର ଛଅଟି ଦୁଧାଳି ଗାଈକୁ ଗୋଟିଏ ବର୍ଷ ପାଳନ କରେ, ତେବେ ମଜୁରି ରୂପେ ଗୋଟିଏ ଗାଈର ଦୁଧ ସେ ନିଜେ ପିଇପାରିବ। ଯଦି ସେ ଶତ ଗାଈ ପାଳନ କରେ, ତେବେ ବର୍ଷାନ୍ତେ ପାରିଶ୍ରମିକ ଭାବେ ଗୋଟିଏ ଯୁଗଳ (ଗୋଟିଏ ଗାଈ ଓ ଗୋଟିଏ ବଳଦ) ନେଇପାରିବ। ଦୁଧ ଆଦି ବିକ୍ରୟରୁ ଲାଭ ହେଲେ, ତାହାର ସପ୍ତମ ଭାଗ ମଜୁରି ଭାବେ ନେବ; ଶିଙ୍ଗ ବିକ୍ରୟର ଆୟରୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ସପ୍ତମ ଭାଗ ମାତ୍ର। କିନ୍ତୁ ବିଶେଷ ମୂଲ୍ୟବାନ ଖୁର ବିକ୍ରୟରୁ ଯେ ଧନ ମିଳେ, ତାହାର ଷୋଡଶମ ଭାଗ ମାତ୍ର ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବ। ଏଭଳି ନ୍ୟାୟସଙ୍ଗତ ଅନୁପାତରେ ଗୋପାଳକର ମଜୁରି ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରିତ ହେବ—ଲୋଭ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରି ସ୍ୱାମୀର ସମ୍ପତ୍ତି ରକ୍ଷା କରି, ନିଜ ଜୀବିକା ମଧ୍ୟ ଚାଲାଇବ।

Word by Word

• षण्णाम्: of six
• षण्णाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट्
• Form: —, Genitive, Plural

• एकाम्: one (female)
• एकाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पिबेत्: should drink
• पिबेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (पिबति)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular

• धेनुम्: a milch-cow
• धेनुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शतात्: from a hundred
• शतात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

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

• मिथुनम्: a pair (cow and bull)
• मिथुनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिथुन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हरेत्: should take
• हरेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (हरति)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular

• लब्धात्: from what is obtained / from the gain
• लब्धात्: Apadana
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Ablative, Singular

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

• सप्तमम्: the seventh (part)
• सप्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भागम्: share, portion
• भागम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: likewise, similarly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• शृङ्गे: in/with the two horns
• शृङ्गे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्ग
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Dual

• कलाम्: a fraction/portion (a sixteenth)
• कलाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• खुरे: in/with the hoof
• खुरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: खुर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• cow (dhenu)
• pair of cattle (mithuna)
• horn (śṛṅga)
• hoof (khura)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Remuneration should be proportionate and regulated: the worker must receive a fair livelihood, but only within clearly defined limits so that service does not become exploitation of the owner’s wealth.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma in the Shanti Parva, he lays down practical norms for wages in cattle-tending—specifying what may be taken as payment from milk, livestock, and by-products—illustrating ethical governance and fair economic conduct.