Shloka 6

स्त्रीणां माहात्म्यप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into the Excellence of Women

Pativratā-Dharma

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा ब्राह्मणाय राजा गोसहस्रं ददौ । प्राप्तवांश्ष गवां सहस्र॑ ब्राह्मण इति,ऐसा कहकर राजाने ब्राह्मणको एक हजार गौएँ दे दीं और ब्राह्मणने उन सहस्रों गौओंको ग्रहण कर लिया

Transliteration

ity uktvā brāhmaṇāya rājā go-sahasraṃ dadau | prāptavān gāvāṃ sahasraṃ brāhmaṇaḥ ||

Translation

Pagkasabi nito, ipinagkaloob ng hari sa brāhmaṇa ang isang libong baka. Tinanggap ng brāhmaṇa at inangkin ang libong iyon—isang gawaing nagpapatingkad sa huwaran ng maharlikang pagkakaloob (dāna) at sa wastong pagtanggap ng handog ng karapat-dapat, sa loob ng balangkas ng dharma.

Word by Word

इतिthus

उक्त्वाhaving said

ब्राह्मणायto the Brahmin

राजाthe king

गो-सहस्रम्a thousand cows

ददौgave

प्राप्तवान्having obtained/received

गवाम्of cows

सहस्रम्a thousand

ब्राह्मणःthe Brahmin

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

rājā (king)

brāhmaṇa (brahmin)

go/gāvaḥ (cows)

go-sahasra (a thousand cows)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dāna as a key expression of dharma: the king fulfills his duty through generous gifting, and the brāhmaṇa’s acceptance signifies a socially sanctioned transfer of wealth meant to support learning, ritual, and righteous living.

What is happening in the narrative?

After making a statement (implied by ‘having said thus’), the king gives the brāhmaṇa a thousand cows, and the brāhmaṇa receives them—marking the completion of a formal act of donation.