Shloka 231

Go-dāna-stuti and Ghṛta-Japa

Praise of cow-gift and ghee-centered recitation

Devanagari script

कामानू्‌ सर्वान्‌ पार्थिवानेकसंस्थान्‌ यो वै दद्यात्‌ कामदुघांच धेनुम्‌ । सम्यक्ता: स्युर्हव्यकव्यौघवत्य- स्तासामुक्ष्णां ज्यायसां सम्प्रदानम्‌

Transliteration

kāmānū sarvān pārthivānekasaṃsthān yo vai dadyāt kāmadughāṃ ca dhenum | samyaktāḥ syur havyakavyaughavatyaḥ tāsām ukṣṇāṃ jyāyasāṃ sampradānam

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : Quiconque donne toutes les jouissances royales sous leurs formes diverses, et offre encore une vache Kāmadhenu exauçant les vœux, rend pleinement efficaces et abondantes ses offrandes sacrificielles et ses oblations aux ancêtres. Pourtant, plus grand encore que ces dons est le don accompli selon la règle de taureaux robustes et supérieurs (pour la reproduction et le maintien du troupeau), car une telle offrande soutient une prospérité durable et la continuité d’une vie domestique conforme au dharma.

Word by Word

• कामान्: desires / desired objects
• कामान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पार्थिव: royal / fit for kings
• पार्थिव: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अनेकसंस्थान्: of many kinds/forms
• अनेकसंस्थान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक-संस्थान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• दद्यात्: should give
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कामदुघाम्: wish-fulfilling
• कामदुघाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम-दुघा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• धेनुम्: cow
• धेनुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सम्यक्ताः: properly performed / duly done
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्यक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्युः: would be / would become
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• हव्यकव्यौघवत्यः: abounding in streams of offerings to gods and ancestors
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हव्य-कव्य-ओघ-वत्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• तासाम्: of those (cows)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• उक्ष्णाम्: of the bulls/oxen
• Type: Noun
• Root: उक्षन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• ज्यायसाम्: of the superior/elder (ones)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्यायस्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सम्प्रदानम्: the act of giving / donation (as a proper gift)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्प्रदान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• kāmadughā dhenu (wish-fulfilling cow)
• ukṣan (bull/ox)
• havya (offerings to gods)
• kavya (offerings to ancestors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that gifts should be evaluated by their dharmic impact: beyond luxurious or symbolic gifts, the highest giving is that which sustains life and righteous livelihood—here, donating superior bulls that ensure ongoing cattle prosperity, thereby supporting household duties, sacrifice, and ancestral rites.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dāna within the Anushasana Parva, he compares different donations. He states that giving royal pleasures and a wish-fulfilling cow brings abundance to offerings for gods and ancestors, but he then elevates the donation of excellent bulls as an even greater, more enduring gift.