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Shloka 7

गोमहात्म्य-प्रश्नोत्तरम्

Saudāsa–Vasiṣṭha on the Purifying Power of Cows

सुवर्ण दक्षिणामाहुर्गोप्रदाने महाद्युते । सुवर्ण परमित्युक्त दक्षिणार्थमसंशयम्‌

suvarṇa-dakṣiṇām āhur go-pradāne mahā-dyute | suvarṇaṃ param ity uktaṃ dakṣiṇārtham asaṃśayam ||

Bhīṣma nói: “Hỡi bậc rực rỡ, trong việc hiến tặng bò có quy định phải dâng dakṣiṇā bằng vàng. Vàng được tuyên là hình thức dakṣiṇā tối thượng—điều ấy không còn nghi ngờ.”

सुवर्णम्gold
सुवर्णम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसुवर्ण
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
दक्षिणाम्fee; honorarium; dakṣiṇā
दक्षिणाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदक्षिणा
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
आहुःthey say; they declare
आहुः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootअह् (ब्रू/वद्-अर्थे)
FormPerfect (Paroksha), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
गोप्रदानेin the giving of cows (cow-donation)
गोप्रदाने:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootगो-प्रदान
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
महाद्युतेO great-splendoured one
महाद्युते:
TypeNoun
Rootमहाद्युति
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
सुवर्णम्gold
सुवर्णम्:
TypeNoun
Rootसुवर्ण
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
परम्supreme; best
परम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootपर
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
इतिthus; as
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
उक्तम्said; stated
उक्तम्:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular, Passive (PPP)
दक्षिणार्थम्for the purpose of dakṣiṇā (fee)
दक्षिणार्थम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदक्षिणा-अर्थ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
असंशयम्undoubtedly; without doubt
असंशयम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअसंशय

पितामह उवाच

B
Bhishma (Pitamaha)
I
Indra (addressed as Mahādyute)
G
gold (suvarṇa)
C
cow-gift (go-pradāna)
D
dakṣiṇā

Educational Q&A

When performing go-dāna (gift of cows), one should also give an appropriate dakṣiṇā; gold is upheld as the best form of such dakṣiṇā, emphasizing completeness and sincerity in charitable rites.

Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha), while instructing on dāna-dharma in Anuśāsana Parva, explains the proper procedure for cow-gifting and states the traditional rule that gold should accompany the gift as dakṣiṇā.