Shloka 8
Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ
Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers
बलान्विता: शीलवयोपपन्ना: सर्वे प्रशंसन्ति सुगन्धवत्य: । यथा हि गंगा सरितां वरिष्ठा तथार्जुनीनां कपिला वरिष्ठा
balānvitāḥ śīlavayopapannāḥ sarve praśaṃsanti sugandhavatyaḥ | yathā hi gaṅgā saritāṃ variṣṭhā tathārjunīnāṃ kapilā variṣṭhā ||
Bhīṣma nói: “Những con bò khỏe mạnh, nết hạnh tốt, tràn đầy sức trẻ, lại thơm tho, đều được mọi người ca ngợi. Như sông Hằng là bậc nhất trong các dòng sông, thì Kapilā là bậc nhất trong giống bò Arjunī.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma highlights a dharmic valuation of excellence and auspicious qualities: beings or gifts that are strong, well-conducted, and auspicious (here, fragrant and exemplary cows) are universally praised; Kapilā is presented as preeminent among Arjunī cows, like the Ganga among rivers—supporting the ethical ideal of offering the best in acts of charity.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (especially gifts and their merits), he uses a well-known comparison: as the Ganga is foremost among rivers, so Kapilā is foremost among a celebrated class of cows (Arjunī), underscoring which offerings are considered most praiseworthy.