Shloka 20
Go-dāna-phala-nirdeśa
Merit and Destinations from the Gift of Cows
गुरुकर्मप्रशंसी तु सो5पि स्वर्गे महीयते । जो वेदोंका अध्ययन करके न्यायपरायण शिष्योंको विद्यादान करता है तथा गुरुके कर्मोकी प्रशंसा करनेवाला है, वह भी स्वर्गलोकमें प्रतिष्ठित होता है ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | gurukarma-praśaṁsī tu so 'pi svarge mahīyate | kṣatriyo 'dhyayane yukto yajane dāna-karmaṇi | yuddhe yaś ca paritrātā so 'pi svarge mahīyate ||
Bhīṣma said: “Even one who praises the deeds of the teacher is honored in heaven. Likewise, a kshatriya who is devoted to study, to sacrifice, and to acts of giving, and who in battle protects others, is also revered in the heavenly world. The teaching emphasizes that heaven is attained not only by personal learning and ritual, but also by honoring one’s teacher and by using martial power as a shield for others rather than as mere aggression.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Merit leading to heavenly honor arises from honoring the guru’s rightful work and, for a kshatriya, from combining learning, sacrifice, and generosity with the protective use of force in battle.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he lists conduct that earns esteem in heaven, highlighting both the ethical duty of revering the teacher and the ideal warrior’s duty to protect others while remaining committed to study, ritual, and charity.