Shloka 10

Gavāṃ Māhātmya — Go-dāna, Yajña-ādhāra, and Goloka

Brahmā–Indra–Surabhi Itihāsa

Devanagari script

समानवत्सां शबलां थेनुं दत्त्वा पयस्विनीम्‌ । सुव्रतां वस्त्रसंवीतां सोमलोके महीयते

Transliteration

samānavatsāṃ śabalāṃ dhenuṃ dattvā payasvinīm | suvratāṃ vastrasaṃvītāṃ somaloke mahīyate ||

Translation

婆悉吒说道：“若有人布施一头斑驳多乳、相好具足的母牛，连同同类之犊，并以布帛恭敬覆饰，此人将在苏摩之界（月界）受尊崇。”

Word by Word

• समानवत्साम्: having a similar calf (i.e., with a matching calf)
• समानवत्साम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समानवत्सा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शबलाम्: spotted, variegated
• शबलाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शबला
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• धेनुम्: cow
• धेनुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• दत्त्वा: having given
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• पयस्विनीम्: milk-yielding, full of milk
• पयस्विनीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पयस्विनी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सुव्रताम्: of good vow/discipline; well-behaved
• सुव्रताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुव्रता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वस्त्रसंवीताम्: clothed/covered with a garment
• वस्त्रसंवीताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वस्त्रसंवीता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सोमलोके: in the world of Soma (moon-world)
• सोमलोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमलोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• महीयते: is honored, is revered
• Type: Verb
• Root: मह्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada (passive sense), Third, Singular

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Soma
• Soma-loka (lunar realm)
• śabalā dhenu (speckled cow)
• vatsa (calf)
• vastra (cloth/garment)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Charity (dāna) yields higher merit when it is complete and respectful: giving a productive cow together with her calf and honoring the gift with proper covering/adornment leads to exalted posthumous reward, here described as honor in Soma’s lunar realm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha is describing the फल (result) of a specific dharmic gift: donating a speckled milch cow along with her calf and clothing her. He states the recipient of such merit is honored in Somaloka, illustrating the Mahābhārata’s catalog of dānas and their spiritual outcomes.