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Shloka 9

गवां लोकवर्णनं तथा गोप्रदानफलश्रुतिः

Description of the ‘World of Cows’ and the Stated Fruits of Cow-Gift

प्रचोदनं देवकृतं गवां कर्मसु वर्तताम्‌ । पूर्वमेवाक्षरं चान्यदभिधेयं तत: परम्‌

bhīṣma uvāca | pracodanaṃ devakṛtaṃ gavāṃ karmasu vartatām | pūrvam evākṣaraṃ cānyad abhidhēyaṃ tataḥ param |

毗湿摩说:“驱策之举,最初乃诸天为从事圣业之牛所制定。故先行之法则在此:为祭祀而套轭驱使公牛,称为可嘉;若为非祭之事而套轭,或击打驱赶,则当受谴责。”

प्रचोदनम्impelling/urging (goading)
प्रचोदनम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootप्रचोदन
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
देवकृतम्done by the gods
देवकृतम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootदेवकृत
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
गवाम्of the cattle/oxen
गवाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootगो
FormFeminine, Genitive, Plural
कर्मसुin (their) tasks/works
कर्मसु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन्
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
वर्तताम्let them proceed/engage
वर्तताम्:
TypeVerb
Rootवृत्
FormImperative (Lot), 3rd, Plural, Atmanepada
पूर्वम्formerly/first
पूर्वम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपूर्व
एवindeed/only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
अक्षरम्a syllable/word
अक्षरम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअक्षर
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अन्यत्another/different
अन्यत्:
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्य
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
अभिधेयम्to be expressed/denoted
अभिधेयम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootअभिधेय
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
ततःthereafter/then
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
परम्afterwards/later
परम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपर

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
D
devas (gods)
G
gāvaḥ (cattle/oxen)
Y
yajña (sacrifice) (implied by context)

Educational Q&A

Bhishma distinguishes between sanctioned and unsanctioned use of force toward animals: driving/yoking cattle is justified only within divinely sanctioned sacrificial duty, while doing so for other ends is blameworthy.

In his instruction on dharma, Bhishma explains the origin and proper scope of goading cattle: the gods first employed it for sacrificial work, establishing a precedent that limits such treatment to ritual necessity.