Shloka 11
Adhyātma-nirdeśa
Definition of Adhyātma): Mahābhūtas, Indriyas, Guṇas, and the Witness (Kṣetrajña
एषा गौ: परलोकस्थ॑ तारयिष्यति मामिति । यो दत्त्वा प्रियते जन्तुः सा गौ: क॑ तारयिष्यति,मृत्युके समय लोग इस आशासे गोदान करते हैं कि यह गौ परलोकमें जानेपर मुझे तार देगी; परंतु जीव तो गोदान करके मर जाता है; फिर वह गौ किसको तारेगी?
eṣā gauḥ paralokasthā tārayiṣyati mām iti | yo dattvā priyate jantuḥ sā gauḥ kaṃ tārayiṣyati ||
Thinking, “This cow, once it reaches the next world, will ferry me across,” a person gives a cow in charity. But the giver, having made the gift, soon dies; then whom will that cow deliver?
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bharadvāja challenges the idea that salvation can be secured by a merely transactional act—giving a cow with the expectation that it will 'save' the donor in the afterlife. The verse pushes the listener to examine intention, understanding, and the broader life of dharma rather than relying on a mechanical promise attached to a single ritual gift.
In a didactic discussion within Śānti Parva, Bharadvāja speaks critically about a common belief surrounding go-dāna: that the donated cow will later carry the donor across in the next world. He points out the logical tension—once the donor dies after giving, the expectation is simplistic—thereby prompting deeper reflection on what truly leads to spiritual welfare.