Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 67
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
न तेषां क्षीरपा: केचिज्जायन्ते कुलवर्धना: । प्रजाक्षयेण युज्यन्ते कुलवंशक्षयेण च
na teṣāṃ kṣīrapāḥ kecij jāyante kulavardhanāḥ | prajā-kṣayeṇa yujyante kula-vaṃśa-kṣayeṇa ca ||
Wika ni Śakra: “Ang mga umiinom ng gatas na kinuha sa pag-ordeña sa bakang may batang guya ay hindi nagkakaanak ng sinumang magiging ‘tagainom ng gatas’ sa wastong diwa—malusog na supling na magtataguyod at magpaparami sa angkan. Sa halip, dinaranas nila ang pagkaputol ng lahi, at humihina ang kanilang angkan at salinlahi.”
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Exploiting a cow’s milk when her calf is still dependent—taking without due restraint and care—is treated as adharma; the text warns that such greed harms one’s own future through loss of progeny and decline of family lineage.
Śakra (Indra) delivers a moral warning: people who improperly consume milk taken from cows with young calves will not produce worthy offspring and will suffer prajā-kṣaya (loss of children) and kula-vaṃśa-kṣaya (decline of clan and lineage).