Shloka 27
गोप्रदानगुणाः तथा कपिलागोविधानम्
Merits of Cow-Gift and the Origin-Account of Kapilā Cows
नित्यं दद्यादेकभक्त: सदा च सत्ये स्थितो गुरुशुश्रूषिता च
pitāmaha uvāca | nityaṃ dadyād ekabhaktaḥ sadā ca satye sthito guruśuśrūṣitā ca | indra! yo sadā eka-samayaṃ bhojanaṃ kṛtvā nityaṃ godānaṃ karoti, satye sthito bhavati, guroḥ sevāṃ ca vedānāṃ svādhyāyaṃ ca karoti, yasya manasi gāvoṣu bhaktiḥ, yo gāṃ dātvā prīyate tathā janmanā eva gāvaḥ praṇamati, tasya prāpyamāṇasya asya phalasya varṇanaṃ śṛṇu ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Ô Indra ! Écoute le récit de la récompense qui revient à celui qui vit dans une simplicité disciplinée—ne mangeant qu’une fois par jour—qui donne chaque jour des vaches en aumône, demeure ferme dans la vérité, sert le maître avec révérence, étudie les Veda, nourrit en son cœur une dévotion envers les vaches, se réjouit de les offrir, et, dès la naissance, s’incline devant elles. Écoute maintenant le fruit qu’apporte une vie de vérité, de service, d’étude et de don généreux.»
पितामह उवाच
Educational Q&A
A dharmic life is portrayed as a blend of disciplined living (one meal a day), unwavering truthfulness, reverent service to the teacher, Vedic study, and generous charity—especially cow-gifts—performed with devotion rather than mere display; such integrated conduct yields great spiritual merit.
Bhīṣma, speaking as a moral instructor, addresses Indra and introduces a description of the rewards promised to a person who practices daily cow-charity along with truth, guru-service, and Vedic study; this verse functions as a lead-in to the ensuing enumeration of the ‘fruit’ (phala) of these practices.