Shloka 122
Prayaga-mahatmya
Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni
तस्मात्सर्वेषु दानेषु गोदानं तु विशिष्यते । दुर्गमे विषमे घोरे महापातकसंक्रमे ॥ १२२ ॥
tasmātsarveṣu dāneṣu godānaṃ tu viśiṣyate | durgame viṣame ghore mahāpātakasaṃkrame || 122 ||
इसलिए सब दानों में गोदान श्रेष्ठ माना गया है—विशेषकर तब, जब मार्ग दुर्गम, विषम और भयानक हो तथा महापातकों के संक्रमण से गुजरना पड़े।
Narada (instructional narration within Uttara-Bhaga style mahatmya discourse)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It elevates go-dāna as the most distinguished form of dāna, presenting it as a powerful source of puṇya and a dharmic safeguard, especially when one faces severe adversity or the burden of grave wrongdoing.
While the verse speaks in the language of dāna-dharma, it supports bhakti indirectly: offering what is sacred and life-sustaining (the cow) is treated as a high devotional act that purifies the donor and aligns one with dharmic living conducive to Viṣṇu-bhakti.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught directly; the practical takeaway is ritual-ethics (dāna-vidhi in Dharmaśāstra style): prioritizing go-dāna as a remedial and merit-generating act during crisis or for prāyaścitta-oriented intent.