bad words pounce upon the listeners like a rowdy bull and bring havoc

 

गौर्गो कामदुघा सम्यक्प्रयुक्ता स्मर्यते बुधैः।

दुष्प्रयुक्ता पुनर्गौत्वं प्रयोक्तुः सैव शंसति॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे ४०३४ काव्यादर्शे

gaurgo kāmadughā samyakprayuktā smaryate budhaiḥ|

duṣprayuktā punargautvaṁ prayoktuḥ saiva śaṁsati||

indiśce sprūce 4034 kāvyādarśe

In this slokam, the author uses the word Go-गो in two contexts. “Go” can mean speech, words. Go can also mean the cow and cattle of that genre.

The meaning of the Slokam is

A well articulated, a well presented, speech, just like the wish yielding Kamadhenu would grand the speaker all that he wishes. A good speech can make a good impression and bring benefits to the speaker

On the other hand, if the speaker or writer misuses the words, if speeches become abuses, then the same words would be like a bull or a brazen rowdy cattle which runs amuck. The misused words reveal the brazen nature of the speaker. In addition, they would fetch him the evil consequences too.

Here, in this subhashitam the author gives a reminder that the way of speaking, the manner in which we use words, can surely make or mar us. Good words give the benefit equal to Kamadhenu, while bad words pounce upon the listeners like a rowdy bull and bring havoc.

गो is a word with many meanings in Sanskrit.. It can mean wealth or Lakshmi, a cow, the earth, the words, and so on.

k v a

सम्यक् well प्रयुक्ता made, articulated, presented गौः words कामदुघा the one who grants all the wishes गो cow the Kamadhenu इव like वर्तते happens

दुष्प्रयुक्ता misused, used inappropriately, without finesse, सा that एव गौः speech, words प्रयोक्तुः who uses it गौत्वं the animal nature, the beastly nature शंसति betrays