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 dit : «Ô seigneur de Śacī (Indra), on ne doit jamais s’adresser à un brāhmaṇa avec des paroles qui ne devraient pas être dites. De même, on ne doit jamais, fût-ce en pensée, nourrir de malveillance envers les vaches. Un brāhmaṇa qui vit d’un gagne-pain “semblable à celui de la vache”—simple et inoffensif—, qui pourvoit les vaches d’herbe et de fourrage, et qui demeure voué à la vérité et au dharma : écoute le fruit qui lui revient. Même s’il ne donne en aumône qu’une seule vache, il obtient un mérite égal au don de mille vaches.»
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.