Shloka 1

Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ

Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers

Devanagari script

अपन क्ाा बछ। 2 सप्तसप्ततितमो< ध्याय: कपिला गौओंकी उत्पत्ति और महिमाका वर्णन वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो युधिष्ठटिरो राजा भूय: शान्तनवं नृपम्‌ | गोदानविस्तरं धर्मान्‌ पप्रच्छ विनयान्वितः

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca |

Tato Yudhiṣṭhiro rājā bhūyaḥ Śāntanavaṃ nṛpam |

Godāna-vistaraṃ dharmān papraccha vinayānvitaḥ ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说：其后，国王由提湿提罗怀着谦恭之心，再次向善檀奴之子、王者毗湿摩请问：施牛之礼当如何详尽奉行？与此善行相系的诸般法义又为何？他求得明晰，以知其正当的行持与伦理上的深意。

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• ततः: then/thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूयः: again/further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्

• शान्तनवम्: the son of Śantanu (Bhīṣma)
• शान्तनवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्तनव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नृपम्: the king
• नृपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गोदान: gift of cows/cow-donation
• गोदान: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोदान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विस्तरम्: in detail/extent
• विस्तरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मान्: duties/rules
• धर्मान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पप्रच्छ: asked/inquired
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• विनय: with humility
• विनय: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनय
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अन्वितः: endowed with/possessed of
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīṣma (Śāntanava)
• Śantanu
• go-dāna (cow-gift)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dāna (charitable giving) is not merely an act of generosity but a dharmic practice that requires correct understanding of its rules, intentions, and context; Yudhiṣṭhira’s respectful inquiry highlights that ethical merit depends on informed and humble adherence to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After earlier instructions, Yudhiṣṭhira again approaches Bhīṣma and asks him to explain in detail the procedure and principles of go-dāna (gifting cows), setting up the ensuing discourse on the origin, greatness, and religious-ethical value of cows and cow-gifts.