Shloka 7
गोप्रदान-माहात्म्ये गोलोक-प्रश्नः
Gopradāna-Māhātmya: Inquiry into Goloka
मा चान्यमानयेथास्त्वं सगोत्रं तस्य पार्श्चत:
mā cānyamānayethās tvaṃ sa-gotraṃ tasya pārśvataḥ
Bhīṣma berkata, “Jangan kau bawa orang lain sebagai penggantinya. Di desa yang sama ada seorang brāhmaṇa kedua dari gotra yang sama, tinggal berdekatan. Dalam kebajikan, telaah Weda, dan martabat keluarga ia setara dengan Śarmīka; dalam jumlah anak dan keteguhan memegang tata susila pun ia sebanding dengan orang bijak itu. Jangan bawa dia kemari.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage stresses ethical integrity: one should not attempt a deceptive substitution by presenting a different person—however similar in lineage, learning, virtue, or family—as a replacement for the intended individual. Dharma here aligns with truthfulness and respect for personal identity and rightful claim.
Bhishma cautions the listener that, although another brāhmaṇa lives in the same village and closely resembles Śarmīka in gotra, learning, virtues, family status, children, and conduct, that person should not be brought as a stand-in. The instruction implies a situation where someone might try to produce a ‘similar’ substitute, which Bhishma forbids.