Shloka 27
Go-dāna-stuti and Ghṛta-Japa
Praise of cow-gift and ghee-centered recitation
तथा राजा पृथुकर्मा दिलीपो दिवं प्राप्तो गोप्रदानैरविधिज्ञ: । यज्जैदनिस्तपसा राजधर्म- मॉन्धाताभूद् गोप्रदानैश्व युक्ता:
bhīṣma uvāca | tathā rājā pṛthukarmā dilīpo divaṃ prāpto gopradānair avidhijñaḥ | yajjaiś ca dānais tapasā rājadharmair māndhātābhūd gopradānaiś ca yuktaḥ | uśīnaraḥ viśvagas ca nṛgaḥ bhagīrathaḥ suvikhyātaḥ yuvanāśvakumāraḥ mahārājo māndhātā rājā mucukundaḥ bhūridyumnaḥ niṣadhanareśo nalaḥ somakaḥ purūravāḥ cakravartī bharataḥ | yeṣāṃ vaṃśe bhavantaḥ sarve rājānaḥ bhāratāḥ ity ucyante | daśarathanandano vīraḥ śrīrāmaḥ anye ca vikhyātakīrtayo nareśāḥ tathā mahākarmā rājā dilīpaḥ | ete sarve vidhijñā nṛpā gōdānena svargalokaṃ prāptāḥ | rājā māndhātā tu yajña-dāna-tapasā rājadharma-gopradānādibhiḥ sarvaiḥ śreṣṭhaguṇaiḥ sampannaḥ āsīt ||
Bhīṣma said: In the same way, King Dilīpa—renowned for vast deeds—attained heaven through gifts of cows. Likewise, Māndhātṛ was endowed with sacrifices, charity, austerity, the duties of kingship, and especially the giving of cows. So too did Uśīnara, Viśvaga, Nṛga, Bhāgīratha, the celebrated son of Yuvanāśva, the great king Māndhātṛ, King Mucukunda, Bhūridyumna, Nala the lord of Niṣadha, Somaka, Purūravas, and the universal monarch Bharata—whose lineage gave rise to the kings called ‘Bhāratas’—and the heroic Śrī Rāma, son of Daśaratha, along with other famous rulers and the great-acting King Dilīpa: all these kings, knowing the proper rule, reached the world of heaven by the merit of cow-gifts. Māndhātṛ in particular was complete in the highest virtues—sacrifice, giving, austerity, royal duty, and the practice of gifting cows.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma presents cow-gifting (go-dāna) as a premier royal charity that, when performed in accordance with proper norms and alongside yajña, dāna, tapas, and rājadharma, leads to great merit and the attainment of heaven; exemplary kings are cited to model this ethical ideal.
In his instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma lists renowned kings—Dilīpa, Māndhātṛ and others—who are said to have reached svarga through righteous giving, especially go-dāna, thereby reinforcing to the listener that ideal kingship is measured by disciplined duty and generous support of society.