Shloka 1

Go-dāna-stuti and Ghṛta-Japa

Praise of cow-gift and ghee-centered recitation

Devanagari script

/ अपन क्रात बछ। सं: षट्सप्ततितमो< ध्याय: गोदानकी विधि

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | vidhiṁ gavāṁ paraṁ śrotum icchāmi nṛpa tattvataḥ | yena tān śāśvatāl lokān arthināṁ prāptuyād iha ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira thưa: Ôi bậc quân vương, nay ta muốn được nghe một cách chân xác và tường tận về nghi thức tối thượng liên quan đến bò—nghi lễ hiến tặng bò (go-dāna). Nhờ thực hành theo đó, những người cầu công đức có thể đạt được, ngay từ cõi đời này, những cảnh giới vĩnh hằng mà họ hằng mong ước.

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular

• विधिम्: procedure, rule
• विधिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गवाम्: of cows
• गवाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• परम्: supreme, excellent
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Tumun (infinitive), Parasmaipada (sense)

• इच्छामि: I desire
• इच्छामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: Present, 1, Singular

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तत्त्वतः: truly, in reality
• तत्त्वतः: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्व
• Form: ablative adverb (tas)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शाश्वतान्: eternal
• शाश्वतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• लोकान्: worlds, realms
• लोकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अर्थिनाम्: of seekers, of those who desire (it)
• अर्थिनाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• प्राप्तुयात्: may obtain, might attain
• प्राप्तुयात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप्
• Form: Optative, 3, Singular

• इह: here (in this world/now)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह
• Form: adverb

Speaker

युधिछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• nṛpa (king, addressed interlocutor)
• go (cow)
• śāśvata-loka (eternal realms)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames go-dāna (the gifting of cows) as a high form of dāna-dharma whose efficacy depends on correct procedure (vidhi). It emphasizes that ethical giving, performed according to dharma and with proper understanding, is believed to lead to enduring spiritual reward (śāśvata-loka).

What is happening in the narrative?

At the opening of this chapter, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a kingly authority (in context, Bhīṣma as the instructing elder) and requests a precise explanation of the best method for gifting cows, motivated by the desire to know how seekers can attain eternal realms through this charitable act.