Shloka 54
Phala of Vrata, Niyama, Svādhyāya, Dama, Satya, Brahmacarya, and Service (व्रत-नियम-स्वाध्याय-दम-सत्य-ब्रह्मचर्य-शुश्रूषा-फलप्रश्नः)
प्राप्त्या पुष्टया लोकसंरक्षणेन गावस्तुल्या: सूर्यपादै: पृथिव्याम् शब्दश्नैक: संततिश्नोपभोगा- स्तस्माद् गोद: सूर्य इवावभाति
prāptyā puṣṭyā lokasaṃrakṣaṇena gāvas tulyāḥ sūryapādaiḥ pṛthivyām | śabdaś caikaḥ “go” iti santatiś copabhogāḥ—tasmād godaḥ sūrya ivāvabhāti ||
Por otorgar prosperidad, sustento y protección del mundo, las vacas son tenidas en esta tierra por semejantes a los rayos del sol. La sola palabra “go” designa tanto a la vaca como al rayo solar. De las vacas nacen el linaje y los medios de disfrute y sustento; por eso quien dona vacas resplandece como el propio sol, como si otorgara sus rayos.
नाचिकेत उवाच
Educational Q&A
Cow-gift (go-dāna) is praised as a high form of charity because cows sustain society through prosperity, nourishment, and protection of worldly welfare; thus the donor gains radiance and merit comparable to the sun that gives rays.
Nāciketa explains, using a linguistic and symbolic point (the word ‘go’ meaning both cow and sunbeam), why cows are likened to the sun’s rays and why the giver of cows is honored as shining like the sun.