Shloka 33
Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ
Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers
हव्यं कव्यं तर्पणं शान्तिकर्म यान॑ वासो वृद्धबालस्यथ तुष्टि: । एतान् सर्वान् गोप्रदाने गुणान् वै दाता राजज्नाप्तुयाद् वै सदैव
Bhīṣma uvāca: havyaṃ kavyaṃ tarpaṇaṃ śāntikarma yānaṃ vāso vṛddhabālasya tathā tuṣṭiḥ | etān sarvān gopradāne guṇān vai dātā rājann āpnuyād vai sadaiva ||
Bhishma berkata: “Dengan sedekah sapi, sang dermawan terus-menerus meraih pahala persembahan bagi para dewa (havya), upacara bagi leluhur (kavya), tarpaṇa, dan ritus penenteraman (śānti-karman). Ia pun memperoleh manfaat kendaraan dan pakaian, serta kepuasan bagi orang tua dan anak-anak. Inilah, wahai raja, kebajikan dan buah yang melekat pada go-dāna; sang pemberi sungguh mendapatkannya berulang kali.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches that go-dāna (the gift of a cow) is a comprehensive act of charity whose merit is equivalent to multiple key ritual duties—offerings to gods and ancestors, tarpaṇa, and pacificatory rites—and it also yields practical and social benefits such as conveyance, clothing, and the well-being/contentment of vulnerable groups (elders and children).
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dāna-dharma, Bhīṣma addresses the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) and enumerates the fruits of cow-giving, presenting it as a highly meritorious and socially sustaining gift.