Shloka 114
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
प्राणस्य सदृशं पश्येद्गां च सामान्यविग्रहम् । अस्य देहे सुखंदुःखं तथा तस्यैव कल्पते
prāṇasya sadṛśaṃ paśyedgāṃ ca sāmānyavigraham | asya dehe sukhaṃduḥkhaṃ tathā tasyaiva kalpate
گائے کو اپنے ہی پران (سانسِ حیات) کے مانند دیکھے، کہ اس کی جسمانی فطرت بھی مشترک ہے؛ اس بدن میں جو سکھ اور دکھ اٹھتے ہیں، وہی اس کے لیے بھی سمجھنے چاہییں۔
Unspecified (contextual narrator/instructor voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa; exact dialogue speaker not provided in the input)
Concept: See the cow as sharing the same embodied vulnerability as oneself; her pleasure and pain are ethically continuous with one’s own.
Application: Practice ahimsā in livelihood: ensure humane treatment, adequate fodder/water, rest, and medical care for cattle; cultivate empathy-based decision-making in work and consumption.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A quiet village cowshed becomes a sanctum: a devotee places a gentle hand on a cow’s forehead, eyes softened with recognition that her breath and his breath are one rhythm. In the background, a small Vishnu shrine with a lamp suggests that compassion itself is worship.","primary_figures":["compassionate householder/devotee","cow (gauḥ)","calf","Vishnu (as small shrine icon)"],"setting":"agrarian courtyard with cowshed, earthen water trough, tulasi planter near a small household shrine","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["warm ochre","lamp-gold","leaf green","milk white","indigo shadow"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a serene household gośālā scene with a devotee honoring a white cow and calf, a small Viṣṇu icon in a niche behind, heavy gold leaf halos on the shrine and lamp flame, rich vermilion and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on the deity, ornate floral borders, sacred calm and moral tenderness.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical village courtyard with delicate lines, a gentle cow nuzzling a devotee’s palm, distant fields and low hills, cool yet tender palette, refined faces, soft washes, a tiny Viṣṇu shrine with a flickering lamp, emphasis on empathy and quiet dharma.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments, stylized cow and devotee in frontal grace, a small Viṣṇu shrine panel with lamp and conch motifs, red-yellow-green dominance with controlled indigo, large expressive eyes conveying compassion, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: cow and calf foregrounded with lotus and creeper borders, a small Viṣṇu/Śrī motif above, intricate floral patterns, deep blue background with gold highlights, devotional domesticity presented as sacred service, peacocks and lotuses subtly framing the scene."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bell","cow lowing in distance","evening lamp crackle","gentle silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पश्येद्गाम् = पश्येत् + गाम्; सुखंदुःखं = सुखम् + दुःखम्; तस्यैव = तस्य + एव.
FAQs
It teaches empathetic non-violence: treat the cow’s experience of pleasure and pain as comparable to one’s own, grounding an ethic of compassion and protection.
By equating the cow with one’s own prāṇa (life-breath) and emphasizing shared embodied vulnerability, it frames care for cows as care for life itself.
It is strongly moral: the focus is on recognizing shared suffering and well-being, which supports dharmic conduct such as go-sevā (service to cows) and ahiṃsā (non-harm).