Mahabharata 1.175.176 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 175, Shloka 176

पाण्डवानां पाञ्चालगमनम्

The Pāṇḍavas’ Journey toward Pāñcāla and News of the Svayaṃvara

Devanagari script

अदेया नन्दिनीयं वै राज्येनापि तवानघ । वसिष्ठजीने कहा--अनघ! देवता

Transliteration

adeyā nandinīyaṁ vai rājyena api tavānagha |

Translation

వశిష్ఠుడు అన్నాడు—“అనఘా! ఈ దూడపాలు ఇచ్చే నందినీ గోవును దానం చేయలేను—నీ సమస్త రాజ్యానికి బదులుగా కూడా కాదు. దేవతారాధన, అతిథి సత్కారం, పితృకార్యాలు, యజ్ఞహవిష్యార్థం కోసం ఇది నా ఆశ్రమంలోనే ఉంటుంది; అందువల్ల రాజ్యంతోనూ దీనిని ఇవ్వలేను.”

Word by Word

• अदेया: not to be given
• अदेया: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदेय
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• नन्दिनी: Nandinī (the cow)
• नन्दिनी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिनी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• राज्येन: by/with a kingdom
• राज्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अपि: even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• अनघ: O sinless one
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनघ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Nandinī
• rājya (kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Certain things are protected by dharma and sacred obligation and therefore cannot be traded, even for immense worldly gain. Vasiṣṭha frames Nandinī as integral to worship, hospitality, ancestral rites, and sacrifice—duties that uphold social and cosmic order—so political power cannot override religious-ethical responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha refuses to part with his cow Nandinī. He declares that she is indispensable for ritual and moral duties (devatā-pūjā, honoring guests, pitṛ-kārya, and sacrificial offerings), and thus cannot be surrendered even if offered a kingdom in return.