Shloka 37

Phala of Vrata, Niyama, Svādhyāya, Dama, Satya, Brahmacarya, and Service (व्रत-नियम-स्वाध्याय-दम-सत्य-ब्रह्मचर्य-शुश्रूषा-फलप्रश्नः)

Devanagari script

जो गौओंके प्रति क्षमाशील

Transliteration

nāciketa uvāca | śrutvā vaivasvatavacas tad ahaṃ punar abruvam | abhāve gopradātṝṇāṃ kathaṃ lokān hi gacchati ||

Translation

Naciketas said: “Having heard the words of Vaivasvata (Yama), I spoke again: ‘If there are no donors of cows, how indeed does one attain the worlds (of merit)?’”

Word by Word

• नाचिकेतः: Naciketas
• नाचिकेतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाचिकेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active, true

• वैवस्वत: of Vivasvat; (i.e., Yama's)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैवस्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वचः: speech, words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: true

• अब्रुवम्: I said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अभावे: in the absence, when lacking
• अभावे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• गोप्रदातॄणाम्: of givers of cows (cow-donors)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो-प्रदातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• कथम्: how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: true

• लोकान्: worlds, realms
• लोकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: true

• गच्छति: goes, reaches
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

नाचिकेत उवाच

Characters & Entities

• नाचिकेत (Naciketas)
• वैवस्वत / यम (Vaivasvata/Yama)
• गोदान (gift of cows)
• लोक (worlds/realms of merit)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames go-dāna (the gifting of cows) as a major vehicle of dharmic merit and raises a moral-theological problem: if such donors are absent, by what means do beings attain meritorious realms? It highlights the dependence of social-religious welfare on generosity and the continuity of dharma through giving.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing Vaivasvata (Yama) describe norms and occasions connected with cow-gifting, Naciketas responds with a follow-up question. He presses the logic of the teaching by asking how attainment of ‘worlds’ is possible when there are no cow-donors, thereby continuing the inquiry-driven dialogue.