Shloka 20

Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ

Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers

Devanagari script

स वत्समुखविश्रष्टो भवस्य भुवि तिष्ठत: । शिरस्यवाप तत्‌ क्रुद्ध: स तदैक्षत च प्रभु:

Transliteration

sa vatsamukha-viśraṣṭo bhavasya bhuvi tiṣṭhataḥ | śirasy avāpa tat kruddhaḥ sa tadaikṣata ca prabhuḥ ||

Translation

Rồi khi Bhava (Śiva) đang đứng trên mặt đất, vật ấy—tuột khỏi miệng con bê—rơi xuống ngay trên đầu Bhava. Nổi giận vì điều đó, đấng Chúa tể (Bhava) lập tức nhìn chằm chằm vào nó, như để đáp trả.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वत्समुखविश्रष्टः: fallen/dropped from the calf’s mouth
• वत्समुखविश्रष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वत्समुखविश्रष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भवस्य: of Bhava (Śiva)
• भवस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• भुवि: on the earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• तिष्ठतः: while (he) was standing
• तिष्ठतः: Sambandha
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (तिष्ठ)
• Form: Present (Shatru-participle), Singular, Parasmaipada, Masculine, Genitive

• शिरसि: on (his) head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अवाप: reached/obtained/fell upon
• अवाप: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• क्रुद्धः: angry
• क्रुद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• ऐक्षत: looked/saw
• ऐक्षत: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष्
• Form: Imperfect, 3, Singular, Atmanepada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्रभुः: the lord/master
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhava (Śiva)
• calf
• head (śiras)
• earth (bhū)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical danger of krodha (anger): a minor incident, when met with wrath—especially by one in authority—can escalate into serious consequences. It implicitly urges restraint and discernment in responding to affronts.

What is happening in the narrative?

Something that had been in a calf’s mouth slips out and lands on Bhava (Śiva)’s head while he is standing on the earth. Bhava becomes angry and fixes his gaze upon it, signaling an impending reaction.