Mahabharata — Svargarohana Parva, Shloka 13
Devanagari script
गाव: कांस्योपदोहाश्न कन्याश्वैव स्वलंकृता:
Transliteration
gāvaḥ kāṃsyopadohāś ca kanyāś caiva su-alaṅkṛtāḥ
Translation
毗舍摩波耶那说：“有牛群，配以青铜制的挤乳器皿；又有少女，盛饰华美。”此偈描绘吉祥布施与仪式供献的场景，暗示一种社会与伦理的理想：财富当用于慷慨、待客与积德，而非囤积守藏。
Word by Word
गावःcows
गावः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगो
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
कांस्योपदोहाःhaving bronze milking-vessels (bronze pails for milking)
कांस्योपदोहाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootकांस्य-उपदोह
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
अश्वाःhorses
अश्वाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअश्व
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
एवindeed/also
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
स्वलङ्कृताःwell-adorned
स्वलङ्कृताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसु-लङ्कृत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
G
gāvaḥ (cows)K
kāṃsya-upadoha (bronze milking-vessels/implements)K
kanyāḥ (adorned maidens)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic prosperity expressed through auspicious gifts and dignified presentation—wealth and resources (cows, valuable vessels, adornment) are framed as instruments of generosity and merit rather than mere display.
Vaiśampāyana describes items and persons present in a ceremonial context: cows associated with bronze milking equipment and well-adorned maidens, indicating a scene of formal offering, hospitality, or gift-giving within the Svargārohaṇa narrative frame.