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Shloka 2

Brahmopadeśa: Adhipatitva-kathana, Dharma-lakṣaṇa, and Kṣetra–Kṣetrajña Viveka

Book 14, Chapter 43

अवि: पशाूनां सर्वेषामहिस्तु बिलवासिनाम्‌ | गवां गोवृषभश्चैव स्त्रीणां पुरुष एव च,ब्रह्माजीनी कहा--महर्षियो! मनुष्योंका राजा तो रजोगुणसे युक्त क्षत्रिय है। सवारियोंमें हाथी, बनवासियोंमें सिंह, समस्त पशुओंमें भेड़ और बिलमें रहनेवालोंमें सर्प, गौओंमें बैल एवं स्त्रियोंमें पुरुष प्रधान है

vāyudeva uvāca | aviḥ paśūnāṁ sarveṣām ahis tu bilavāsinām | gavāṁ govṛṣabhaś caiva strīṇāṁ puruṣa eva ca ||

وایودیو نے کہا—تمام پالتو جانوروں میں بھیڑ کو مقدم مانا گیا ہے؛ بلوں میں رہنے والوں میں سانپ برتر ہے۔ گایوں میں بیل سب سے اعلیٰ ہے، اور عورتوں میں مرد کو اصل و مقدم سمجھا گیا ہے۔

अविःsheep/ewe
अविः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअवि
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
पशूनाम्of animals
पशूनाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootपशु
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
सर्वेषाम्of all
सर्वेषाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
अहिःserpent
अहिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअहि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/and (emphatic)
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
बिलवासिनाम्of cave-dwellers
बिलवासिनाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootबिल-वासिन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
गवाम्of cows/cattle
गवाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootगो
FormFeminine, Genitive, Plural
गोवृषभःbull (of cattle)
गोवृषभः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगो-वृषभ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
एवindeed/only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
स्त्रीणाम्of women
स्त्रीणाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootस्त्री
FormFeminine, Genitive, Plural
पुरुषःman
पुरुषः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
एवindeed/only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root

वायुदेव उवाच

वायुदेव (Vāyudeva/Vāyu)
अवि (sheep)
अहि (serpent)
गवाम् (cattle/cows)
गोवृषभ (bull)
स्त्री (women)
पुरुष (man)

Educational Q&A

The verse uses familiar examples to assert that within each category there is a recognized ‘chief’ or preeminent representative. It functions as a didactic illustration of how precedence and leadership are conventionally understood in worldly and social contexts.

Vāyudeva is speaking to sages in a teaching mode, listing examples of ‘the foremost’ in different groups (livestock, burrow-dwellers, cattle, and gender roles) as part of a broader discourse on order and authority.