Shloka 22

Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ

Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers

Devanagari script

यास्तु तस्मादपक्रम्य सोममेवाभिसंश्रिता:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | yās tu tasmād apakramya somam evābhisaṃśritāḥ, … tadā krodhabhareṇa mahādevena dakṣaḥ prajāpatiḥ uvāca —

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Nhưng những con bò nào chạy trốn khỏi đó và chỉ nương tựa nơi Soma (Mặt Trăng) thì vẫn y như lúc mới sinh; sắc lông không hề đổi khác. Khi ấy, Dakṣa Prajāpati cất lời với Mahādeva đang ngập tràn phẫn nộ như sau—”

Word by Word

• याः: which (women/cows) / those who
• याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (स्त्री. सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• तस्मात्: from that (place/person)
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• अपक्रम्य: having departed/withdrawn
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + क्रम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• सोमम्: Soma; the Moon
• सोमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed; only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अभिसंश्रिताः: having taken refuge in; resorted to
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + सम् + श्रि (श्रयते) → अभिसंश्रित (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Soma (Moon)
• cows
• Mahadeva (Shiva)
• Daksha Prajapati

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights the power of chosen refuge: those who take shelter in a particular divine principle (here Soma) remain under its influence and condition, suggesting that allegiance and protection shape one’s state. It also sets up an ethical contrast between anger and right speech, as Daksha prepares to address an enraged Mahadeva.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that some cows fled and sought refuge in Soma; unlike others, their color did not change and they remained as originally born. Immediately after, the story transitions to a confrontation: Daksha Prajapati speaks to Mahadeva (Shiva), who is described as filled with anger.