Shloka 32

गोप्रदानगुणाः तथा कपिलागोविधानम्

Merits of Cow-Gift and the Origin-Account of Kapilā Cows

Devanagari script

एकेनैव च भक्तेन य: क्रीत्वा गां प्रयच्छति । यावन्ति तस्या रोमाणि सम्भवन्ति शतक्रतो

Transliteration

ekenaiva ca bhaktena yaḥ krītvā gāṃ prayacchati | yāvanti tasyā romāṇi sambhavanti śatakrato ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“若有人购得一牛，而以一念至诚之敬信将其施舍——噢，娑多迦罗都（因陀罗）——此牛身上有多少毛发，施者便积聚多少吉祥之果。”

Word by Word

• एकेन: with one
• एकेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• भक्तेन: with devotion / by a devotee (devout offering)
• भक्तेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रीत्वा: having bought
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्री
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• गाम्: a cow
• गाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रयच्छति: gives (away)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यावन्ति: as many as
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• तस्याः: of her/of that (cow)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• रोमाणि: hairs
• रोमाणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोमन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• सम्भवन्ति: come into being / arise
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + भू
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• शतक्रतो: O Śatakratu (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतक्रतु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

पितामह उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)
• Indra (Śatakratu)
• cow (go)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the ethical value of dāna (charitable giving)—here, gifting a cow—is greatly amplified by sincere devotion; even a single-hearted act of bhakti in giving yields vast merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha) instructs on dharma and the fruits of gifts. Addressing Indra (Śatakratu), he states that one who buys a cow and donates it with devotion gains merit measured hyperbolically by the number of hairs on the cow.