Shloka 18
Chapter 84: Brahmā’s Counsel on Tāraka, the Search for Agni, and the Genesis of Skanda
Kārttikeya
ते वै सुकृतिन: प्रोक्ता: सर्वदानप्रदाश्न ते । गवां लोकं तथा पुण्यमाप्रुवन्ति च तेडनघ
te vai sukṛtinaḥ proktāḥ sarvadānapradāś ca te | gavāṁ lokaṁ tathā puṇyam āpnuvanti ca te ’nagha ||
Vyāsa dit : «Ceux qui donnent des vaches sont déclarés véritablement méritants. De tels donateurs sont tenus pour des donneurs de tous les dons, car le don de vaches est loué au-dessus des autres. Ô toi sans faute, ils atteignent le monde saint des vaches, Goloka, royaume d’une grande pureté et d’une récompense spirituelle.»
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that gifting cows (go-dāna) is a highly esteemed form of charity: those who perform it are called meritorious and are treated as if they have given all kinds of gifts, culminating in attainment of a holy realm (gavāṁ loka/Goloka).
Vyāsa is instructing the listener (addressed as ‘anagha’, “sinless one”) within a discourse on dāna-dharma, praising the spiritual efficacy of cow-gifts and stating the resulting posthumous attainment of a sacred world.