Shloka 22
गोप्रदानगुणाः तथा कपिलागोविधानम्
Merits of Cow-Gift and the Origin-Account of Kapilā Cows
न जातु ब्राह्मणो वाच्यो यदवाच्यं शचीपते । मनसा गोधु न द्रुह्ेद् गोवृत्तिगोंडनुकल्पक:
na jātu brāhmaṇo vācyo yad avācyaṃ śacīpate | manasā goṣu na druhyed govṛttigo'nukalpakaḥ ||
Bhīṣma dijo: «Oh señor de Śacī (Indra), jamás debe dirigirse a un brāhmaṇa con palabras que no deban pronunciarse. Del mismo modo, no debe albergarse, ni siquiera en la mente, malicia contra las vacas. Un brāhmaṇa que vive con un sustento “semejante al de la vaca”—simple e inofensivo—, que provee hierba y forraje para las vacas, y que está entregado a la verdad y al dharma: escucha el fruto que le corresponde. Aunque done en caridad una sola vaca, obtiene un mérito igual al de regalar mil vacas.»
पितामह उवाच
Educational Q&A
Guard speech and intention: never use improper or abusive words toward a brāhmaṇa, and never entertain hostility toward cows even mentally. A life of simplicity, truth, and active care for cows magnifies the merit of charity—so much that gifting even one cow is praised as equal to a thousand cow-gifts.
In Bhīṣma’s dharma-instruction (Anuśāsana Parva), he addresses Indra by epithet (Śacīpati) while explaining ethical restraints (speech and mental non-harm) and then extols the extraordinary spiritual fruit of cow-related charity, especially when performed by a truthful, dharma-minded brāhmaṇa who supports and provides for cows.