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Shloka 213

Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ

Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers

नानावर्णत्वमनयन्मेघानिव दिवाकर: । प्रजानाथ! रुद्रका वह भयंकर तेज जिन-जिन कपिलाओंपर पड़ा

nānāvarṇatvam anayan meghān iva divākaraḥ | prajānātha! rudrakā vaha bhayaṅkara teja jin-jin kapilāoṃpar paṛā, unke raṅga nānā prakārake ho gaye | jaise sūrya bādalokoṃ apnī kiraṇoṃse bahuraṅgā banā dete haiṃ, usī prakāra us tejne un sabko nānā varṇavālī kara diyā |

Bhīṣma nói: “Ôi chúa tể muôn loài, luồng uy quang ghê gớm phát sinh từ Rudra ấy khiến chúng mang lấy nhiều sắc màu khác nhau, như mặt trời dùng tia sáng làm mây hiện ra rực rỡ muôn vẻ. Cũng vậy, nơi nào ánh sáng dữ dội ấy rọi xuống những con bò màu vàng nâu, sắc lông của chúng liền trở nên đa dạng.”

नानाvarious, manifold
नाना:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाना
वर्णत्वम्variegatedness; diversity of color
वर्णत्वम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवर्णत्व
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अनयत्led/brought/made
अनयत्:
TypeVerb
Rootनी
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
मेघान्clouds
मेघान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमेघ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
इवlike, as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
दिवाकरःthe sun (day-maker)
दिवाकरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदिवाकर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
D
Divākara (Sun)
M
Megha (clouds)
R
Rudra (Śiva)
T
Tejas (fearsome radiance/energy)
K
Kapilāḥ (tawny ones)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how overwhelming divine/ascetic energy (tejas) can transform appearances and conditions, using a natural simile (sun colouring clouds) to convey the irresistible, world-shaping force of higher power—an ethical reminder that rulers and beings alike are subject to forces beyond ordinary control.

Bhīṣma describes a fearsome radiance associated with Rudra that falls upon the ‘kapilā’ beings and makes their colours change into many hues, likening the effect to sunlight making clouds look multicoloured.