Shloka 20
Go-dāna-stuti and Ghṛta-Japa
Praise of cow-gift and ghee-centered recitation
देवव्रती स्याद् वृषभप्रदाने वेदावाप्तिगोयुगस्य प्रदाने । तथा गवां विधिमासाद्य यज्वा लोकानग्रयान् विन्दते नाविधिज्ञ:
bhīṣma uvāca | devavratī syād vṛṣabhapradāne vedāvāptigoyugasya pradāne | tathā gavāṁ vidhim āsādya yajvā lokān agrayān vindate nāvidhijñaḥ ||
Bhishma dijo: «Al regalar un toro, el hombre se vuelve un devavrata, firme en la disciplina sagrada. Al regalar una pareja de reses (una vaca con un toro), obtiene acceso a los Vedas, el verdadero saber sacro. Y quien realiza el rito de donar vacas conforme al procedimiento debido alcanza los mundos más altos. Pero quien desconoce la regla prescrita no obtiene el fruto superior.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Charity yields graded spiritual results, but only when performed with knowledge of dharma and proper ritual procedure (vidhi). The verse stresses that intention alone is not enough; correct method and understanding are integral to the fruit of dāna.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anuśāsana Parva), he explains the merits of specific gifts—bull-gift, cow-and-bull gift, and properly conducted cow-gift rites—while warning that ignorance of prescribed rules diminishes or negates the highest results.