Shloka 9

Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ

Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers

Devanagari script

हृष्ट-पुष्ट, सुलक्षणा, जवान तथा उत्तम गन्धवाली गायकी सभी लोग प्रशंसा करते हैं। जैसे नदियोंमें गंगा श्रेष्ठ हैं, वैसे ही गौओंमें कपिला गौ उत्तम मानी गयी है ।।

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: kasmāt samāne bahulāpradāne sadbhiḥ praśastaṃ kapilāpradānam | viśeṣam icchāmi mahāprabhāvaṃ śrotuṃ samartho 'smi bhavān pravaktum ||

Translation

由提施提罗说：“祖父啊，若施牛之功德不论毛色皆同，且皆能得大福报，为何贤德之人却尤称赞施与黄褐色的迦毗罗牛（kapilā）？我愿特别聆听此施之伟大而殊胜的威力。我能听受，而您能开示。”

Word by Word

• हृष्ट: joyful, delighted
• हृष्ट: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (कृदन्त; √हृष्)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पुष्टा: well-nourished
• पुष्टा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्ट (कृदन्त; √पुष्)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सुलक्षणा: having good marks/auspicious features
• सुलक्षणा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुलक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• जवती: swift, quick
• जवती: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: and, also; likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• उत्तमगन्धवती: having excellent fragrance
• उत्तमगन्धवती: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम-गन्धवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• गायकी: a cow
• गायकी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वे: all (people)
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• लोकाः: people
• लोकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रशंसन्ति: praise
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शंस्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• नदीषु: among rivers
• नदीषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• गङ्गा: Ganga
• गङ्गा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रेष्ठा: best, foremost
• श्रेष्ठा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: so, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• गोषु: among cows
• गोषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• कपिला: the tawny (kapilā) cow
• कपिला: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• गौः: cow
• गौः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• उत्तमा: excellent, best
• उत्तमा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• मन्यते: is considered
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मन्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

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

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कस्मात्: why? from what reason?
• कस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• समाने: when (it is) the same/equal
• समाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• बहुलाप्रदाने: in the giving of a bahulā (cow)/in cow-gift generally
• बहुलाप्रदाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहुला-प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सद्भिः: by the good/virtuous (people)
• सद्भिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रशस्तम्: praised, commended
• प्रशस्तम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशस्त (कृदन्त; √शंस्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• कपिलाप्रदानम्: the gift of a kapilā cow
• कपिलाप्रदानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिला-प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• विशेषम्: the special reason/particularity
• विशेषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इच्छामि: I wish/desire
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इष्
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महाप्रभावम्: of great power/effect
• महाप्रभावम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु
• Form: Infinitive (Tumun)

• समर्थः: capable
• समर्थः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्मि: I am
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस्
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रवक्तुम्: to speak/tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच्
• Form: Infinitive (Tumun)

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)
• kapilā gauḥ (tawny cow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic inquiry: even when an act of charity seems generally equivalent (a cow-gift), tradition may recognize specific forms as especially efficacious. It emphasizes discerning the ethical and ritual rationale behind praised practices rather than following them blindly.

What is happening in the narrative?

During Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma in the Anuśāsana Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira asks why the gifting of a kapilā (tawny) cow is singled out for special praise by the virtuous, and requests Bhīṣma to explain its distinctive spiritual potency.