Shloka 38
दैव–पुरुषकार-प्रश्नः
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Inquiry: Fate and Human Effort
गोप्रदानेन मिथ्या च ब्राह्मणेभ्यो महामखे । पुरा नृगश्न राजर्षि: कूकलासत्वमागत:
gopradānena mithyā ca brāhmaṇebhyo mahāmakhe | purā nṛgaś ca rājarṣiḥ kūkalāsatvam āgataḥ ||
भीष्म ने कहा—पूर्वकाल में राजर्षि नृग, महायज्ञ में ब्राह्मणों को गोदान करते समय एक भूल (मिथ्या-प्रदान) कर बैठे; उसी कारण वे कूकलास (गिरगिट) की योनि को प्राप्त हुए।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dāna must be accurate and non-injurious: even an unintended mistake in a sacred gift—especially one that wrongs a recipient—can produce serious karmic results. Good intention does not fully cancel the ethical duty of carefulness and fairness.
Bhīṣma cites an ancient example: the royal sage Nṛga, though famed for generosity, once made an error while donating cows to Brahmins during a great sacrifice (apparently giving the same cow twice). Because of that fault, he later fell into the condition of a lizard.