Shloka 169
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
अक्षयं कपिलादानं कृष्णां दत्वा न सीदति । पांडुरा दुर्लभा लोके गौरी च कुलनंदिनी
akṣayaṃ kapilādānaṃ kṛṣṇāṃ datvā na sīdati | pāṃḍurā durlabhā loke gaurī ca kulanaṃdinī
ทานโคกปิลา (สีน้ำตาลทอง) ให้บุญกุศลไม่สิ้นสุด; เมื่อถวายโคสีดำแล้ว ผู้นั้นย่อมไม่ตกสู่ความทุกข์ โคปาณฑุรา (ขาวซีด) หาได้ยากในโลก และเช่นเดียวกัน “คาวรี” ก็เป็นความชื่นใจแห่งตระกูลของนาง
Unspecified (narrative voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa, Adhyaya 48 context)
Concept: Go-dāna (especially kapilā-dāna) yields inexhaustible merit and protects from distress; rare purity is praised through the imagery of the rare white cow and the rare noble woman (Gaurī) who uplifts her lineage.
Application: Practice ethical generosity: support caretaking of cows/animal welfare, feed the needy, and dedicate charity mentally to Nārāyaṇa; cultivate ‘akṣaya’ giving—regular, sincere, and non-exploitative.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene donation scene at a village-edge yajña-śālā: a householder offers a tawny kapilā cow adorned with garlands and a copper bell to a calm brāhmaṇa, while a black cow stands nearby as a symbol of protection from distress. In the background, a rare white cow glows softly, and a dignified woman named Gaurī—depicted as the ‘joy of her lineage’—stands with a lamp, blessing the act of charity.","primary_figures":["householder donor","brāhmaṇa recipient","kapilā cow (tawny)","kṛṣṇā cow (black)","pāṇḍurā cow (white)","Gaurī (noble woman, not necessarily Pārvatī)"],"setting":"yajña-śālā courtyard with tulasī planter, cow-shed, and ritual vessels (kalaśa, darbha, ghee lamp)","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron ochre","lotus pink","ivory white","deep indigo","gold leaf"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a kapilā cow-dāna tableau in a temple-like courtyard, donor and brāhmaṇa in frontal iconic poses, heavy gold leaf halos and borders, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on the cow’s harness, stylized tulasī planter and brass lamps, intricate floral arch framing the rare white cow and the dignified Gaurī figure.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate kapilā cow donation scene with refined faces and soft shading, cool morning sky, detailed textiles, lyrical rural landscape with a small yajña-śālā, a rare white cow rendered with pearly highlights, Gaurī standing modestly with a lamp, fine linework on garlands and bells.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments, kapilā cow richly ornamented, donor and brāhmaṇa with large expressive eyes, temple lamp-lit courtyard, red-yellow-green dominant palette with gold accents, stylized tulasī pot and ritual vessels, symmetrical composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional courtyard filled with lotus motifs and floral borders, kapilā cow as central sacred symbol, attendants with garlands, deep blue background with gold highlights, peacocks near a tulasī planter, ornate textile patterns, celebratory yet serene mood."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["temple bells","low conch shell","soft cow bells","morning birds"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कपिलादानम् = कपिला + दानम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष).
FAQs
It praises go-dāna (the gifting of a cow), especially kapilā-dāna (a tawny cow), describing it as yielding imperishable merit, and also commends gifting a black cow as preventing distress.
It distinguishes traditional categories of go-dāna by color/type, associating them with religious merit; it also notes the rarity of a pale/white cow (pāṇḍurā) as a point of emphasis.
Gaurī (a name of Pārvatī, “the Fair One”) is invoked as an exemplar of rarity and auspiciousness—paralleled with the rarity of the pāṇḍurā cow—underscoring the verse’s theme of precious, meritorious gifts.