Shloka 23
गोप्रदानगुणाः तथा कपिलागोविधानम्
Merits of Cow-Gift and the Origin-Account of Kapilā Cows
सत्ये धर्मे च निरतस्तस्य शक्र फलं शृणु । गोसहस्रेण समिता तस्य थेनुर्भवत्युत
pitāmaha uvāca | satye dharme ca niratas tasya śakra phalaṃ śṛṇu | go-sahasreṇa samitā tasya dhenur bhavaty uta | śacīpate śakra |
ピターマハは言った。「おおシャクラよ、真実とダルマに専心する者に訪れる果報を聞け。そのような者がたとえ一頭の牛を施しても、その功徳は千頭の牛を施すに等しい。おおシャクラ、シャチーの主よ——バラモンに対して決して荒い言葉を吐いてはならず、牛に対しては心のうちにさえ敵意を抱いてはならぬ。牛のような生業——柔和で、害をなさず、他を養う——により生き、牛のために飼い草と世話を整え、しかも真実と正義に堅く立つ者は、この崇高な果を得るのだ。」
पितामह उवाच
Educational Q&A
Steadfastness in truth and dharma, coupled with reverence toward brāhmaṇas and a non-hostile, protective attitude toward cows, greatly magnifies the merit of charity—so much so that gifting even one cow can yield the fruit of a thousand cow-gifts.
Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha), in his instruction on righteous conduct, addresses Indra (Śakra) and explains the extraordinary spiritual reward obtained by a person who lives ethically and supports cows—framing it as a teaching about the power of virtuous disposition behind an act of giving.