Shloka 24
नक्षत्रेषु श्राद्धफलविधानम् (Śrāddha Outcomes According to Nakṣatras)
चन्द्रमाने भेंड़ा दिया, सूर्यने मनोहर कान्ति प्रदान की, गोमाता सुरभि देवीने एक लाख गौएँ प्रदान कीं ।। छागमन्निर्गुणोपेतमिला पुष्पफलं बहु । सुधन्वा शकटं चैव रथं चामितकूबरम्
candramāne bheṇḍā diyā, sūryena manoharā kāntiḥ pradattā, gomātā surabhī devyā ekalakṣaṃ gāvaḥ pradattāḥ || chāgam annirguṇopetam ilā puṣpaphalaṃ bahu | sudhanvā śakaṭaṃ caiva rathaṃ cāmitakūbaram ||
Bhishma sprach: „Vom Mond kam als Gabe ein Widder; von der Sonne wurde ein liebliches Strahlen verliehen; und von Surabhī, der göttlichen Kuhmutter, wurden hunderttausend Kühe gewährt. Dazu kamen Ziegen, reichliche Speise von vorzüglicher Güte sowie viele Blumen und Früchte; und Sudhanvan gab einen Wagen und auch einen Streitwagen von unermesslicher Tragkraft.“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores dāna-dharma: righteous giving should be abundant, life-supporting, and socially beneficial. Gifts like cattle and food symbolize nourishment and continuity of community life, while the association with celestial/divine sources elevates generosity as aligned with cosmic order and merit.
Bhishma is listing notable gifts and benefactions—ram from the Moon, radiance from the Sun, a vast herd from Surabhi, along with goats, fine food, flowers and fruits, and finally a cart and a grand chariot given by Sudhanvan—illustrating exemplary generosity and the kinds of offerings praised in dharmic discourse.