Shloka 33

Cyavana’s Yogic Display and Kuśika’s Recognition of Tapas (च्यवन-योगप्रभावः कुशिकस्य तपःप्रशंसा च)

Devanagari script

गाव: स्वर्गस्य सोपानं गाव: स्वर्गेडपि पूजिता: । गाव: कामदुहो देव्यो नान्यत्‌ किंचित्‌ परं स्मृतम्‌

Transliteration

gāvaḥ svargasya sopānaṃ gāvaḥ svarge ’pi pūjitāḥ | gāvaḥ kāmaduhō devyo nānyat kiñcit paraṃ smṛtam ||

Translation

గోవులే స్వర్గానికి సోపానము; స్వర్గములోనూ గోవులు పూజింపబడుతాయి. గోవులు కామధేనుస్వరూప దివ్యులు; వాటికన్నా పరమమైనది మరొకటి స్మరింపబడలేదు.

Word by Word

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वर्गस्य: of heaven
• स्वर्गस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सोपानम्: a stair/ladder (means of ascent)
• सोपानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोपान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• पूजिताः: worshipped/honoured
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूजित
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• कामदुहः: wish-fulfilling (lit. milking desires)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामदुह
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• देव्यः: goddesses/divine ones
• देव्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अन्यत्: anything else/another
• अन्यत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• किञ्चित्: anything (at all), something
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किञ्चित्

• परम्: higher/supreme
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• स्मृतम्: is considered/remembered (as)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

व्यवन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyavana
• cows
• Svarga (heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates the cow as a supreme locus of dharma and merit: reverence and care for cows are portrayed as a direct means to spiritual uplift and heavenly attainment, with cows symbolizing generosity, nourishment, and sacred beneficence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instructional discourse on dharma and meritorious conduct, Vyavana states a eulogy of cows, asserting their heavenly honor and their status as divine wish-fulfillers, to emphasize the religious and ethical value of protecting and venerating them.