Shloka 51
Nṛga-upākhyāna: Brāhmaṇa-sva and the Consequence of Misappropriated Gift-Cattle (कृकलास-रूपे नृगोपाख्यानम्)
न वधार्थ प्रदातव्या न कीनाशे न नास्तिके । गोजीविने न दातव्या तथा गौर्भरतर्षभ
bhīṣma uvāca | na vadhārthaṃ pradātavyā na kīn̄āśe na nāstike | gojīvine na dātavyā tathā gaur bharatarṣabha | gorasānāṃ na vikretur apañcayajanasya ca |
Bhīṣma said: “O bull among the Bharatas, a cow should never be given to one who asks for it with the intent to kill. Likewise, it should not be given to a butcher, to an unbeliever, to one who lives by exploiting cows, to a seller of milk-products, or to one who neglects the five daily sacrificial duties. The gift of a cow is a sacred trust; it must be placed only in hands that will protect and honor it.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches that the merit of go-dāna (gifting a cow) depends on the recipient’s dharmic conduct and intention. A cow should not be given where it will be harmed, commodified, or placed with someone who rejects or neglects foundational duties; the donor must ensure the gift supports protection and righteous living.
In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma, especially the ethics of gifts and conduct. Here he specifies disqualifications for recipients of a cow, framing go-dāna as a sacred responsibility rather than a mere transfer of property.