Shloka 39

अहिंसयित्वा ब्रह्महत्याविधानम् / Brahmahatyā incurred without physical violence

Devanagari script

गामश्चृ वित्तमन्नं वा तद्विधे प्रतिपादयेत्‌ । द्रव्याणि चान्यानि तथा प्रेत्यभावे न शोचति,अतः ऐसे गुणवान्‌ पुरुषको ही गाय, घोड़ा, अन्न, धन तथा दूसरे पदार्थ देने चाहिये। ऐसा करनेसे दाताको मरनेके बाद पश्चात्ताप नहीं करना पड़ता

Transliteration

gām aśvaṁ vittam annaṁ vā tadvidhe pratipādayet | dravyāṇi cānyāni tathā pretyabhāve na śocati ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「徳ある相応の受け手に、牛や馬、財、食物、その他の品々を施すべきである。このように正しく施せば、施主は死後に悔いを抱かない。しかるべき布施は、没後の悔恨を防ぐ護りとなり、ダルマにかなう行いを確かなものとする。」

Word by Word

गाम्a cow

चand

ऋalso / further (particle; here as part of sandhi in the transmitted text)

वित्तम्wealth, money

अन्नम्food

वाor

तद्विधेto one of that kind (a worthy person of that type)

प्रतिपादयेत्should give / should bestow

द्रव्याणिgoods, substances

चand

अन्यानिother

तथाlikewise, in the same way

प्रेत्यhaving died / after departing (from this world)

अभावेin non-existence; after death; in the state of being gone

नnot

शोचतिgrieves, regrets

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

cow (go)

horse (aśva)

wealth (vitta)

food (anna)

goods/valuables (dravya)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Charity should be directed to a worthy recipient (pātra). Giving valuable items—cows, horses, wealth, food, and other goods—when properly placed becomes a dharmic act that prevents remorse after death.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues advising on the ethics of giving: he specifies exemplary gifts and emphasizes that the donor’s peace in the hereafter depends on giving appropriately to the deserving.