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Shloka 13

गोशकृन्माहात्म्य-प्रश्नः (On the Merit of Cow-Dung and the Abode of Śrī) / Inquiry into the Sanctity of Cow-Dung

कपिलां ये प्रयच्छन्ति सवत्सां कांस्यदोहनाम्‌ । सुव्रतां वस्त्रसंवीतामुभी लोकौ जयन्ति ते

kapilāṃ ye prayacchanti savatsāṃ kāṃsyadohanām | suvratāṃ vastrasaṃvītām ubhī lokau jayanti te ||

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—ఉత్తమ లక్షణములు గల కపిలా గోవును దూడతో కూడి, వస్త్రముతో కప్పి దానమిచ్చి, దోహనార్థం కాంస్యపాత్రమును కూడా సమర్పించువారు ఇహలోకమును పరలోకమును—ఉభయ లోకములను—జయింతురు।

कपिलाम्a tawny (kapilā) cow
कपिलाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकपिला
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
येwho (those who)
ये:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
प्रयच्छन्तिgive, bestow
प्रयच्छन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-यम्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
सवत्साम्with a calf
सवत्साम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसवत्सा
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
कांस्यbronze (kāṁsya)
कांस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootकांस्य
FormNeuter, Instrumental (in compound relation), Singular
दोहनाम्fit for milking / for milking
दोहनाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootदोहना
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
सुव्रताम्of good observance/discipline
सुव्रताम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसुव्रता
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
वस्त्रcloth, garment
वस्त्र:
TypeNoun
Rootवस्त्र
FormNeuter, Instrumental (in compound relation), Singular
संवीताम्clothed, covered
संवीताम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसम्-वे (संवी)
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)
उभीboth
उभी:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootउभ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Dual
लोकौworlds
लोकौ:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootलोक
FormMasculine, Accusative, Dual
जयन्तिconquer, win
जयन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootजि
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
तेthey
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
K
kapilā cow
C
calf
K
kāṃsya (bronze) milking vessel
B
both worlds (iha-loka and para-loka)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that dharmic giving should be auspicious and complete: donating a cow with her calf, properly adorned, and supplying the practical means (a bronze milking vessel) yields merit that benefits both worldly life and the afterlife.

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (dāna-dharma), he specifies a particular form of cow-gift and states its फल (result): the donor ‘conquers’ both realms—gaining prosperity/repute here and spiritual merit beyond.