Shloka 38
दैव–पुरुषकार-प्रश्नः
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Inquiry: Fate and Human Effort
गोप्रदानेन मिथ्या च ब्राह्मणेभ्यो महामखे । पुरा नृगश्न राजर्षि: कूकलासत्वमागत:
gopradānena mithyā ca brāhmaṇebhyo mahāmakhe | purā nṛgaś ca rājarṣiḥ kūkalāsatvam āgataḥ ||
ビーシュマは言った。かつて王仙ヌリガ（Nṛga）は大施主として名高かった。だが大供犠の折、バラモンたちに牛を布施する際に過ちを犯し、同じ一頭を重ねて施してしまった。その因により、彼は蜥蜴として生を受けた。この逸話は、名高い施主であっても布施（ダーナ）には厳密な注意が要ること、受け手を損ねたり不義を生む誤り—同じ牛を二度与えるがごとき—は重い業の報いを招くことを示している。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dāna must be accurate and non-injurious: even an unintended mistake in a sacred gift—especially one that wrongs a recipient—can produce serious karmic results. Good intention does not fully cancel the ethical duty of carefulness and fairness.
Bhīṣma cites an ancient example: the royal sage Nṛga, though famed for generosity, once made an error while donating cows to Brahmins during a great sacrifice (apparently giving the same cow twice). Because of that fault, he later fell into the condition of a lizard.