FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.34.3

గావో హిరణ్యం వాసాంసి మధు మధ్వన్నమాద‍ృతా: । బ్రాహ్మణేభ్యో దదు: సర్వే దేవో న: ప్రీయతామితి ॥ ౩ ॥
gāvo hiraṇyaṁ vāsāṁsi
[gaavo hiranyam vaasaamsi]
madhu madhv-annam ādṛtāḥ
[madhu madhv-annam aadritaah]
brāhmaṇebhyo daduḥ sarve
[braahmanebhyo daduh sarve]
devo naḥ prīyatām iti
[devo nah preeyataam iti]
gāvaḥ — cows hiraṇyam — gold vāsāṁsi — clothing madhu — sweet-tasting madhu — mixed with honey annam — grains ādṛtāḥ — respectfully brāhmaṇebhyaḥ — to the brāhmaṇas daduḥ — they gave sarve — all of them devaḥ — the lord naḥ — with us prīyatām — may be pleased iti — thus praying .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
gāvo hiraṇyaṁ vāsāṁsi
gāvaḥ
cows
hiraṇyam
gold
vāsāṁsi
clothing
madhu madhv-annam ādṛtāḥ
madhu
sweet-tasting
madhu
mixed with honey
annam
grains
ādṛtāḥ
respectfully
brāhmaṇebhyo daduḥ sarve
brāhmaṇebhyaḥ
to the brāhmaṇas
daduḥ
they gave
sarve
all of them
devo naḥ prīyatām iti
devaḥ
the lord
naḥ
with us
prīyatām
may be pleased
iti
thus praying .
  • gāvaḥ — cows
    The first wealth named — cows are Vraja's currency and the most beloved dāna. Gauḍīyas remember: where cows are protected, Kṛṣṇa stays close; the Vraja economy is a theology in motion.
  • brāhmaṇebhyaḥ — to the brāhmaṇas
    Dative plural — gifts go to the qualified brāhmaṇas. Śāstra requires that charity find a proper pātra (receptacle); reckless giving without discernment dilutes the puṇya it would otherwise generate.
  • ādṛtāḥ — respectfully
    From ā-√dṛ (to honor). The manner of giving matters as much as the gift. A grudging cow is less than a respectfully offered handful of grain — bhāva sanctifies the dravya.
  • prīyatām — may (the Lord) be pleased
    Optative of √prī. The whole point of dāna and pūjā in Vaiṣṇava reading: not transactional reward but Bhagavat-prīti — pleasing the Lord. Every gift is a way of saying, 'May Kṛṣṇa be satisfied.'
The cowherd men gave the brāhmaṇas gifts of cows, gold, clothing and cooked grains mixed with honey. Then the cowherds prayed, “May the lord be pleased with us.”
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The cowherd men gave the brāhmaṇas gifts of cows, gold, clothing and cooked grains mixed with honey. Then the cowherds prayed, "May the lord be pleased with us."
Commentary

Gavah is used for the normal form of feminine plural accusative case gah (cows). Nanda and others gave cows, gold, the remnants of honey from the bathing of Siva, and rice sprinkled with honey to the brahmanas.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Two verses describe how they were eagerly engaged in dharma and artha. They were respected by the priests of the temple or the cowherds were respectful (ādṛtāḥ). Nanda and others individually gave gifts. They requested that Śiva or Viṣṇu (devaḥ) be pleased, since Vaiṣṇavas want to please the Lord and his devotees. They prayed for worshipping Viṣṇu and for the nourishment of Kṛṣṇa.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Gāvaḥ in the nominative is poetic license. Or it can be gā and vaḥ hiraṇyam: gold similar to that of your kingdom. They were respected by the priests of the temple or were respectful to them. Nanda and all others (sarve) gave gifts to the brāhmaṇas and prayed. They requested that Śiva or Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa (devaḥ) be pleased, since Vaiṣṇavas want to please the Lord and his devotees.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)
Related verses
Concepts
Dharma

Cows, gold, cloth, sweetened grain — the four classic dānas given to brāhmaṇas. Like a householder watering the roots of a tree before harvesting fruit, the cowherds first feed the dvija-class, knowing that prosperity which forgets the brāhmaṇa-root soon withers.

📝 My note

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