Shloka 29
Cyavana’s Yogic Display and Kuśika’s Recognition of Tapas (च्यवन-योगप्रभावः कुशिकस्य तपःप्रशंसा च)
स्वाहाकारवषट्कारीौ गोषु नित्यं प्रतिछ्ठितौ । गावो यज्ञस्य नेत्र्यो वै तथा यज्ञस्य ता मुखम्,स्वाहा और वषट्कार सदा गौआओंमें ही प्रतिष्ठित होते हैं। गौएँ ही यज्ञका संचालन करनेवाली तथा उसका मुख हैं
svāhākāravaṣaṭkārau goṣu nityaṁ pratiṣṭhitau | gāvo yajñasya netryo vai tathā yajñasya tā mukham ||
毗耶伐那说道：“祭祀中的呼声‘svāhā’与‘vaṣaṭ’恒常安立于牛之中。诚然，牛正是引领祭祀前行的向导，亦是祭祀之口——藉由牛，仪式得以获得如法的供献、正确的方向与圆满的成就。”
व्यवन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates the cow as ritually and ethically central: the very efficacy and language of sacrifice (‘svāhā’ and ‘vaṣaṭ’) are said to reside in cows, implying that honoring and protecting them supports dharma and the proper performance of yajña.
In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused discourse, Vyavana explains the sanctity of cows by linking them directly to sacrificial function—portraying them as the guiding force and ‘mouth’ of yajña, i.e., a primary medium through which offerings and ritual purpose are fulfilled.