Shloka 213

Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ

Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers

Devanagari script

नानावर्णत्वमनयन्मेघानिव दिवाकर: । प्रजानाथ! रुद्रका वह भयंकर तेज जिन-जिन कपिलाओंपर पड़ा

Transliteration

nānāvarṇatvam anayan meghān iva divākaraḥ | prajānātha! rudrakā vaha bhayaṅkara teja jin-jin kapilāoṃpar paṛā, unke raṅga nānā prakārake ho gaye | jaise sūrya bādalokoṃ apnī kiraṇoṃse bahuraṅgā banā dete haiṃ, usī prakāra us tejne un sabko nānā varṇavālī kara diyā |

Translation

Бхишма сказал: «О владыка созданий! Та грозная, рожденная Рудрой энергия заставила их принять множество цветов, подобно тому как солнце своими лучами делает облака пёстрыми. Так же, куда бы ни падало то свирепое сияние на рыжевато-бурых, их окраска становилась многообразной.»

Word by Word

• नाना: various, manifold
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना

• वर्णत्वम्: variegatedness; diversity of color
• वर्णत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्णत्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनयत्: led/brought/made
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मेघान्: clouds
• मेघान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• दिवाकरः: the sun (day-maker)
• दिवाकरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Divākara (Sun)
• Megha (clouds)
• Rudra (Śiva)
• Tejas (fearsome radiance/energy)
• Kapilāḥ (tawny ones)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how overwhelming divine/ascetic energy (tejas) can transform appearances and conditions, using a natural simile (sun colouring clouds) to convey the irresistible, world-shaping force of higher power—an ethical reminder that rulers and beings alike are subject to forces beyond ordinary control.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes a fearsome radiance associated with Rudra that falls upon the ‘kapilā’ beings and makes their colours change into many hues, likening the effect to sunlight making clouds look multicoloured.