Shloka 6

गोशकृन्माहात्म्य-प्रश्नः (On the Merit of Cow-Dung and the Abode of Śrī) / Inquiry into the Sanctity of Cow-Dung

Devanagari script

गावो भूतं च भव्यं च गाव: पुष्टि: सनातनी | गावो लक्ष्म्यास्तथा मूलं गोषु दत्त न नश्यति

Transliteration

gāvo bhūtaṃ ca bhavyaṃ ca gāvaḥ puṣṭiḥ sanātanī | gāvo lakṣmyās tathā mūlaṃ goṣu dattaṃ na naśyati ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“牛具足既往与将来。牛是恒常滋养与安乐之源，亦是财富吉祥女神拉克什米之根本。凡施与诸牛者，其功德永不损失。”

Word by Word

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• भूतम्: the past
• भूतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• भव्यम्: the future
• भव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• पुष्टिः: nourishment, prosperity
• पुष्टिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सनातनी: eternal
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातनी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• लक्ष्म्याः: of Lakshmi / of fortune
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

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

• मूलम्: root, source
• मूलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• गोषु: among/in cows
• गोषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• दत्तम्: given (gift/donation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: क्त, Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• नश्यति: perishes, is destroyed
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश्
• Form: Present, लट्, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• gāvaḥ (cows)
• Lakṣmī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that protecting and supporting cows is a dharmic act tied to nourishment and prosperity, and that gifts made to cows (go-dāna or support of their upkeep) yield enduring, imperishable merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and the fruits of charity, here praising cows as foundational to sustenance and fortune and affirming the lasting spiritual value of giving to them.