Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 15

Suvarṇa-dāna: Kārttikeya’s Origin and the Defeat of Tāraka (सुवर्णदान-प्रसङ्गे कार्त्तिकेय-उत्पत्ति तथा तारकवधः)

Devanagari script

ततः प्रोवाच ब्रह्मा तं शक्रं बलनिषूदनम्‌ । अवज्ञातास्त्वया नित्यं गावो बलनिषूदन

Transliteration

tataḥ provāca brahmā taṃ śakraṃ balanīṣūdanam | avajñātās tvayā nityaṃ gāvo balanīṣūdana ||

Translation

Pagkaraan, nagsalita si Brahmā kay Śakra (Indra), ang pumatay kay Bala: “O tagapagwasak ni Bala, palagi mong minamaliit ang mga baka. Kaya hindi mo tunay na nalalaman ang kanilang kadakilaan. O pinakamainam sa mga diyos, makinig ka habang ipinaliliwanag ko ang makapangyarihang lakas at banal na kamahalan ng baka.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'tataḥ', 'definition': 'then

• thereafter'}, {'term': 'provāca', 'definition': 'said

• spoke forth (perfect of √vac)'}, {'term': 'brahmā', 'definition': 'Brahmā, the creator-god'}, {'term': 'tam', 'definition': 'him (accusative singular)'}, {'term': 'śakram', 'definition': 'Śakra, Indra (king of the gods)'}, {'term': 'balanīṣūdanam', 'definition': 'slayer of Bala (epithet of Indra)

• literally ‘Bala-destroyer’'}, {'term': 'avajñātāḥ', 'definition': 'disrespected

• neglected (past passive participle of ava-√jñā)'}, {'term': 'tvayā', 'definition': 'by you (instrumental singular)'}, {'term': 'nityam', 'definition': 'always

• continually'}, {'term': 'gāvaḥ', 'definition': 'cows (nominative plural)'}]

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Śakra (Indra)
• Bala (asura, implied by epithet)
• Gāvaḥ (cows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Disrespect toward what is dharmically revered—here, the cow—leads to ignorance of its true spiritual and ethical significance. Brahmā frames reverence (satkāra) as a prerequisite for understanding sacred value and hints at moral consequence for habitual neglect.

What is happening in the narrative?

Brahmā begins an admonition to Indra, accusing him of repeatedly slighting cows. He then introduces a forthcoming exposition on the cow’s greatness (māhātmya) and extraordinary influence, setting up a didactic section within Bhīṣma’s discourse.