Sanskrit गां पर्यटिष्यति

[Kobzar]

Hello everybody! I am translating महाभारतम् । ३ । १८८, and I have a problem in the śloka 84, more specifically with its second half:
विक्रोशमानश्चान्योन्यं जनो गां पर्यटिष्यति ||
"Crying to each other, people will travel over a cow,"
which makes no sense to me. Can anybody explain this?
Thank you very much in advance!

 

[Dib]

You are right, it does not make sense. That is because it is not literally talking about a "cow". "Go" has a relatively common extension to its meaning - "the Earth". I guess, it comes from equating how the Earth nourishes and nurtures us just like the cow. That's the meaning, you are looking for here.

 

[Au101]

You are right, it does not make sense. That is because it is not literally talking about a "cow". "Go" has a relatively common extension to its meaning - "the Earth". I guess, it comes from equating how the Earth nourishes and nurtures us just like the cow. That's the meaning, you are looking for here.

Well taken sir Is it my go next?

 

[Kobzar]

You are right, it does not make sense. That is because it is not literally talking about a "cow". "Go" has a relatively common extension to its meaning - "the Earth". I guess, it comes from equating how the Earth nourishes and nurtures us just like the cow. That's the meaning, you are looking for here.

Thank you very much!

 

[Dib]

Well taken sir Is it my go next?

Haha, yeah, we seem to be taking turns these days, aren't we?