Mahābhārata · 1.165.17
॥
Devanāgarī
वसिष्ठ उवाच
देवतातिथिपित्रर्थम् आज्यार्थं च पयस्विनी ॥
अदेया नन्दिनीयं मे राज्येनापि तवानघ ॥
Transliteración (IAST)
vasiṣṭha uvāca
devatātithipitrartham ājyārthaṃ ca payasvinī ||
adeyā nandinīyaṃ me rājyenāpi tavānagha ||
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
देवतातिथिपित्रर्थम् आज्यार्थम् च पयस्विनीdevatātithipitrartham ājyārtham ca payasvinī"for the gods, guests, ancestors, and for the sake of sacrificial ghee, [is] this milch [cow];
अदेया नन्दिनी इयं मे राज्येन अपि तव अनघadeyā nandinī iyaṃ me rājyena api tava anaghaI cannot give this Nandini, even for your kingdom, O sinless one";
वसिष्ठvasiṣṭhaoriginal form "vasiṣṭha", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
आज्यार्थंājyārthaṃoriginal form "ājyārthaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नन्दिनीयंnandinīyaṃoriginal form "nandinīyaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
राज्येनापिrājyenāpioriginal form "rājyenāpi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तवानघtavānaghaoriginal form "tavānagha", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Traducción
Vasishtha said: "This milch cow is for the gods, guests, ancestors, and for sacrificial ghee; I cannot give this Nandini even for your kingdom, O sinless one."
Versión
00e02673bf10 · publicado 12 jul 2026, 17:29:43 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
Here the saint rejects any price for what is sacred. It is significant that Vasishtha does not bargain: the cow serves the gods, guests, and ancestors -- she cannot be sold even for a kingdom, for the sacred has no price. This shows the truth that what is dedicated to God and duty is removed from trade: what serves the sacrifice and the guest is not to be traded away. Thus the scripture shows the firmness of the brahmin, for whom duty stands above gain -- and Vasishtha's refusal is not stinginess but fidelity to the cow's sacred purpose.