Shloka 12
गोप्रदानगुणाः तथा कपिलागोविधानम्
Merits of Cow-Gift and the Origin-Account of Kapilā Cows
अक्रोधनो गोषु तथा द्विजेषु धर्मे रतो गुरुशुश्रूषकश्न । यावज्जीवं सत्यवृत्ते रतश्न दाने रतो य: क्षमी चापराधे
pitāmaha uvāca | akrodhano goṣu tathā dvijeṣu dharme rato guruśuśrūṣakaś ca | yāvajjīvaṃ satyavr̥tte rataś ca dāne rato yaḥ kṣamī cāparādhe |
Bhīṣma berkata: “Ia yang tidak dikuasai amarah terhadap sapi-sapi maupun terhadap kaum dvija (yang dua kali lahir), yang tekun dalam dharma dan setia melayani guru serta para sesepuh; yang sepanjang hidup bersukacita dalam laku yang benar, giat bersedekah, dan memaafkan meski disakiti—orang demikian, dengan kebajikan itu, mencapai Goloka yang kekal dan tak binasa.”
पितामह उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that a dharmic life is defined by disciplined non-anger (especially toward protected beings like cows and revered communities like Brahmins), lifelong truthfulness, service to elders/teachers, generosity, and forgiveness; these virtues are presented as the cause of attaining an imperishable divine realm.
In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma (lying on the bed of arrows) instructs Yudhishthira on dharma. Here he lists specific ethical qualities—non-anger, truth, guru-service, charity, and forgiveness—and links them to the spiritual fruit of reaching an eternal abode (Goloka in the broader passage).