Shloka 12
Go-apahāra (Cattle Theft), Go-dāna (Cow-Gift), and Suvarṇa-dakṣiṇā (Gold Fee): Karmic Consequence and Purificatory Merit
अपश्यत् परिमार्गश्ष तां गां परगृहे द्विज: । ममेयमिति चोवाच ब्राह्णो यस्य साभवत्
apaśyat parimārgamāṇaḥ tāṃ gāṃ paragṛhe dvijaḥ | mamaiyam iti covāca brāhmaṇo yasya sābhavat ||
Quelques jours plus tard, lorsque le brahmane revint d’un pays lointain, il se mit à chercher sa vache. En cherchant, il la trouva dans la maison d’un autre. Alors le brahmane à qui la vache avait appartenu d’abord dit à l’autre brahmane : «Cette vache est à moi.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse sets up an ethical conflict about rightful ownership and truthful claim: when one finds one’s property in another’s possession, dharma requires a clear assertion of truth (“this is mine”) while the situation calls for a righteous method of resolution rather than force or deceit.
A Brahmin returns from abroad, searches for his missing cow, discovers it in another person’s home, and formally claims it by telling the other Brahmin that the cow belongs to him.