Shloka 17
पाण्डवानां पाञ्चालगमनम्
The Pāṇḍavas’ Journey toward Pāñcāla and News of the Svayaṃvara
Devanagari script
वसिष्ठ उवाच देवतातिथिपित्रर्थ याज्यार्थ च पयस्विनी
Transliteration
Vasiṣṭha uvāca devatātithipitrartha yājyārtha ca payasvinī
Translation
婆悉吒说道：“她乳汁丰盈，乃为圣事而设——可供奉诸天，可用以礼敬宾客，亦可用于祭祀祖灵之仪。”
Word by Word
वसिष्ठःVasiṣṭha
वसिष्ठः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवसिष्ठ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular
देवतa god / divine being
देवत:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदेवत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अतिथिपित्रर्थfor the sake of guests and ancestors
अतिथिपित्रर्थ:
TypeNoun
Rootअतिथि + पितृ + अर्थ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
याज्यार्थfor the purpose of sacrifice / worship
याज्यार्थ:
TypeNoun
Rootयाज्य + अर्थ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
पयस्विनीthe milk-giving one (cow)
पयस्विनी:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपयस्विनी
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VasiṣṭhaD
deities (devatāḥ)G
guests (atithayaḥ)A
ancestors (pitaraḥ)M
milch cow / milk-rich offering (payasvinī)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma expressed through rightful use of resources: what is nourishing and valuable (symbolized by a milk-rich cow) should be directed toward sacred obligations—worship of the gods, honoring guests, and performing ancestral rites—rather than toward selfish ends.
Vasiṣṭha, speaking in the episode, identifies the cow as especially suitable for ritual and duty-bound purposes, emphasizing its role in offerings connected with gods, guests, and ancestors.