Shloka 23

Chapter 85: Suvarṇasya Janma ca Pradāna-Phalam

The Origin of Gold and the Merit of Gifting

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तास्ततो गाव: शुभा: करुणवत्सला: । सम्मन्त्रय सहिता: सर्वा: श्रियमूचुर्नराधिप

Transliteration

evam uktās tato gāvaḥ śubhāḥ karuṇavatsalāḥ | sammantrya sahitāḥ sarvāḥ śriyam ūcur narādhipa || nareśvara! lakṣmīke evaṃ vacane karuṇā-vātsalya-mūrtayaḥ śubhasvarūpā gāvaḥ ekatra miltvā mantrayitvā punaḥ sarvā lakṣmīm ūcuḥ—

Translation

ข้าแต่มหาราช ครั้นลักษมีตรัสดังนั้นแล้ว โคทั้งหลายผู้เป็นมงคล อันเปี่ยมด้วยกรุณาและความเอ็นดูดุจมารดา ได้พร้อมใจกันประชุมปรึกษา แล้วจึงกล่าวกับลักษมีอีกครั้ง

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्ताः: having been spoken to / addressed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), feminine, nominative, plural

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: feminine, nominative, plural

• शुभाः: auspicious, good
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ
• Form: feminine, nominative, plural

• करुणवत्सलाः: tender with compassion
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करुणवत्सल
• Form: feminine, nominative, plural

• सम्मन्त्र्य: having consulted (together)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + मन्त्र्
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), prior action (having consulted)

• सहिता: united, together
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह
• Form: क्त (past passive participle) used adjectivally, feminine, nominative, plural

• सर्वाः: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: feminine, nominative, plural

• श्रियम्: to Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• श्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• ऊचुः: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: perfect (liṭ), 3rd, plural, parasmaipada

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• नरेश्वर: O ruler of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (speaker)
• Narādhipa/Nareśvara (the king being addressed, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira in context)
• Śrī/Lakṣmī
• Gāvaḥ (the cows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic decision-making rooted in compassion: the cows, symbols of nurturing and non-harm, do not react individually but consult together and respond in a unified, thoughtful manner—suggesting that ethical speech and action should arise from collective deliberation and mercy.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Lakshmi has spoken, the cows—described as auspicious and deeply compassionate—assemble, deliberate among themselves, and then address Lakshmi again, setting up their collective reply in the subsequent lines.