Shloka 32

Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ

Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers

Devanagari script

इदं गवां प्रभवविधानमुत्तमं पठन्‌ सदाशुचिरपि मंगलप्रिय: । विमुच्यते कलिकलुषेण मानव: श्रियं सुतान्‌ धनपशुमाप्तुयात्‌ सदा

Transliteration

idam gavāṁ prabhavavidhānam uttamaṁ paṭhan sadāśucir api maṅgalapriyaḥ | vimucyate kalikaluṣeṇa mānavaḥ śriyaṁ sutān dhana-paśum āptuyāt sadā ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Ai thường xuyên tụng đọc bản tường thuật tối thượng này về nguồn gốc và sự hiểu biết đúng đắn đối với loài bò, dù chưa thanh tịnh theo nghi lễ, vẫn trở thành người yêu chuộng điều cát tường. Người ấy được giải thoát khỏi những cấu uế của thời Kali, và luôn đạt thịnh vượng: con cái, phúc lộc, của cải và gia súc.”

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• प्रभव-विधानम्: the account/ordinance of origin (i.e., origin-description)
• प्रभव-विधानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभवविधान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• उत्तमम्: excellent, best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पठन्: reading/reciting
• पठन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• अशुचिः: impure
• अशुचिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशुचि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even, although
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• मङ्गल-प्रियः: fond of auspiciousness
• मङ्गल-प्रियः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मङ्गलप्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विमुच्यते: is freed, is released
• Type: Verb
• Root: विमुच्
• Form: Lat (Present), Atmanepada, Third, Singular, Passive/Reflexive (contextual)

• कलि-कलुषेण: by the impurity/defilement of Kali (age)
• कलि-कलुषेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलिकलुष
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• मानवः: a man, human
• मानवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रियम्: prosperity, fortune
• श्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सुतान्: sons, children
• सुतान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• धन-पशुम्: wealth and cattle
• धन-पशुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनपशु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आप्तुयात्: may obtain, may attain
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् + या
• Form: Vidhi-lin (Optative), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular, Active

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• gāvaḥ (cows/cattle)
• Kali (Kali-yuga)
• Śrī (prosperity/fortune)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Reverent recitation of a dharmic account—here, the exalted narrative concerning the origin and significance of cows—purifies the practitioner, generates auspicious disposition, and is said to counteract the moral/ritual taints associated with Kali-yuga, yielding both spiritual cleansing and worldly well-being.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma concludes a section praising the sanctity and dharmic value of cows by stating the fruit (phala) of studying/reciting this account: even an impure person becomes inclined to auspiciousness, is freed from Kali-age defilements, and gains ongoing prosperity such as offspring, fortune, wealth, and livestock.