Shloka 5
Chapter 84: Brahmā’s Counsel on Tāraka, the Search for Agni, and the Genesis of Skanda
Kārttikeya
मान्धाता यौवनाश्रवश्व ययातिर्नहुषस्तथा । गा वै ददनत: सततं सहस्रशतसम्मिता:
Māndhātā Yauvanāśvaś ca Yayātir Nahuṣas tathā | gā vai dadantaḥ satataṁ sahasraśata-sammitāḥ ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Māndhātā, Yauvanāśva, Yayāti, et de même Nahuṣa — ces rois, illustres dans la tradition des anciens, ne cessaient d’offrir des vaches, et leurs dons se comptaient par centaines de milliers.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse upholds dāna—especially the gifting of cows—as a hallmark of righteous kingship. By citing celebrated rulers, Bhīṣma frames generosity as a sustained ethical practice (not an occasional act) that supports dharma and accrues merit.
Bhīṣma is instructing on dharma by invoking well-known ancient kings as precedents. He lists Māndhātā, Yauvanāśva, Yayāti, and Nahuṣa as continual donors of immense numbers of cows, reinforcing the tradition of royal largesse.