Shloka 15

Gavāṃ Māhātmya — Go-dāna, Yajña-ādhāra, and Goloka

Brahmā–Indra–Surabhi Itihāsa

Devanagari script

वातरेणुसवर्णा तु सवत्सां कांस्यदोहनाम्‌ | प्रदाय वस्त्रसंवीतां वायुलोके महीयते

Transliteration

vātareṇusavarṇā tu savatsāṃ kāṃsyadohanām | pradāya vastrasaṃvītāṃ vāyuloke mahīyate ||

Translation

Vasiṣṭha disse: Quem doa uma vaca cuja cor se assemelha ao pó levantado pelo vento, com seu bezerro, e ainda um vaso de bronze para a ordenha, oferecendo-a coberta com um pano, é honrado no mundo de Vāyu.

Word by Word

• वातरेणुसवर्णाः: having the color of wind-blown dust
• वातरेणुसवर्णाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वातरेणुसवर्ण
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• सवत्साम्: together with a calf
• सवत्साम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सवत्स
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कांस्यदोहनाम्: having a bronze milking-vessel (bronze milk-pail)
• कांस्यदोहनाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कांस्यदोहन
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रदाय: having given
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• वस्त्रसंवीताम्: covered/wrapped with cloth
• वस्त्रसंवीताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वस्त्रसंवीत
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वायुलोके: in the world of Vāyu (Wind-god)
• वायुलोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायुलोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• महीयते: is honored/is worshipped
• Type: Verb
• Root: मह्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada (passive sense), 3rd, Singular

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वसिष्ठ (Vasiṣṭha)
• वायुलोक (Vāyuloka)
• गौ (cow)
• वत्स (calf)
• कांस्यदोहना (bronze milking vessel)
• वस्त्र (cloth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That a complete, considerate gift—here, a cow given with her calf, a proper milking vessel, and a cloth covering—constitutes dharmic charity and produces merit, symbolized by honor in Vāyu’s realm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha is describing the फल (result) of a specific form of go-dāna: donating a dust-colored cow along with supporting items; the stated outcome is reverence in Vāyuloka.