Shloka 5

Go-dāna-stuti and Ghṛta-Japa

Praise of cow-gift and ghee-centered recitation

Devanagari script

द्विजातिमतिसत्कृत्य श्वः कालमभिवेद्य च | गोदानार्थे प्रयुजुजीत रोहिणी नियतव्रतः,गोदान करनेवाले मनुष्यको चाहिये कि वह नियमपूर्वक व्रतका पालन करे और ब्राह्मणको बुलाकर उसका अच्छी तरह सत्कार करके कहे कि “मैं कल प्रातः:काल आपको एक गौ दान करूँगा।” तत्पश्चात्‌ गोदानके लिये वह लाल रंगकी (रोहिणी) गौ मँगाये और “समंगे बहुले” इस प्रकार कहकर गायको सम्बोधित करे, फिर गौओंके बीचमें प्रवेश करके इस निम्नांकित श्रुतिका उच्चारण करे--

Transliteration

bhbma uvbca |

dvijbtim atisatktya bva kblam abhivedya ca |

godbnrthe prayujujta rohi niyatavrata ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: Wer eine Kuh zu spenden beabsichtigt, soll ein Gelübde in Zucht halten; einen zweimalgeborenen Brahmanen einladen, ihn ehrerbietig bewirten und die Zeit ankündigen: „morgen“. Für die Kuhgabe soll er eine rötliche Kuh (Rohiṇī) bereitstellen, sie mit den vorgeschriebenen Worten anreden, inmitten der Herde eintreten und die angegebene vedische Formel rezitieren.

Word by Word

द्विजातिम्a twice-born (brahmin etc.) person

अतिसत्कृत्यhaving highly honored / having respectfully received

श्वःtomorrow

कालम्time (the time)

अभिवेद्यhaving informed / having announced

चand

गोदानार्थेfor the purpose of cow-gift (in the matter of cow-donation)

प्रयुजुजीतshould employ / should procure / should arrange

रोहिणीम्a rohiṇī (reddish) cow

नियतव्रतःone observing a regulated vow

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhma

dvijbti (Brahmin recipient)

go (cow)

Rohi (reddish cow)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Cow-gift (godbna) should be performed as a disciplined dharmic act: the donor observes a vow, honors the qualified recipient (a dvija/Brahmin), gives prior notice of the time, and carries out the rite with proper intention and prescribed recitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is instructing Yudhi63hira on the proper procedure for donating a cow: invite and honor a Brahmin, announce that the gift will be given the next morning, procure a reddish Rohi cow, and then proceed with the ritual steps including entering among the cows and reciting the indicated ruti-mantra.