Shloka 4

Devanagari script

देवानामुपरिष्टाच्च गाव: प्रतिवसन्ति वै । दत्त्वा चैतास्तारयन्ते यान्ति स्वर्ग मनीषिण:,गौएँ देवताओंसे भी ऊपरके लोकोंमें निवास करती हैं। जो मनीषी पुरुष इनका दान करते हैं, वे अपने आपको तारते हैं और स्वर्गमें जाते हैं

Transliteration

devānām upariṣṭāc ca gāvaḥ prativasanti vai | dattvā caitās tārayante yānti svargaṃ manīṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma declares that cows dwell in realms even higher than those of the gods. Therefore, the wise who give cows in charity rescue themselves from peril and attain heaven—presenting go-dāna as a supremely meritorious act grounded in dharma and compassion.

Word by Word

देवानाम्of the gods

उपरिष्टात्above, higher up

चand

गावःcows

प्रतिवसन्तिdwell, reside

वैindeed

दत्त्वाhaving given

चand

एताःthese (cows)

तारयन्तेcause (themselves) to cross; save (themselves)

यान्तिgo

स्वर्गम्to heaven

मनीषिणःwise men

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

devas (gods)

gāvaḥ (cows)

svarga (heaven)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that gifting cows (go-dāna) is an exceptionally meritorious dharmic act: it is said to 'save' the donor and lead the wise to heaven, emphasizing charity joined with reverence for life and sustenance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma (Anuśāsana Parva), he praises the spiritual status of cows and asserts that those who donate them gain salvific merit and attain svarga.