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Shloka 16

Go-dāna-stuti and Ghṛta-Japa

Praise of cow-gift and ghee-centered recitation

नाम संकीर्तयेत्‌ तस्या यथासंख्योत्तरं स वै । “जो गौके निष्क्रयरूपसे उसका मूल्य

nāma saṅkīrtayet tasyā yathāsaṅkhyottaraṃ sa vai |

ビーシュマは言った。「その(牛の代替としての施与)に定められた名を、示された順序に従って正しく唱えるべきである。」ここでの教えは、布施の法(ダルマ)としての正当性を確立するためである。すなわち、実際の牛ではなく、その贖いの価(代価)、布、あるいは金を牛の代わりに施す場合であっても、サンカルパ(saṅkalpa、誓願・作意)の時に相応の「牛の名」をもって正式にその施物を指し示し、意趣と儀礼の形の両面で正しいゴー・ダーナとして成り立たせねばならない。

नामname
नाम:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनामन्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
संकीर्तयेत्should proclaim/recite
संकीर्तयेत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + कीर्तय् (causative of √कीर्त्/√कीर्)
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
तस्याःof her/of that (f.)
तस्याः:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormFeminine, Genitive, Singular
यथाas/according to
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
सङ्ख्याby number; in enumeration
सङ्ख्या:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootसङ्ख्या
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
उत्तरम्in order; following; subsequent
उत्तरम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootउत्तर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वैindeed
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
G
go-dāna (gift of a cow)
S
substitute gifts (cow’s price/value, cloth, gold)
U
Urdhvāsyā (name of the ‘cow’ when value is given)
B
Bhavitavyā (name of the ‘cow’ when cloth is given)
V
Vaiṣṇavī (name of the ‘cow’ when gold is given)
B
brāhmaṇa (recipient)

Educational Q&A

That charitable giving should be performed with correct intention and formal declaration: even when substituting a cow with its value, cloth, or gold, one should ritually name the gift in the proper sequence so it is treated as a valid go-dāna in dharmic terms.

Bhīṣma is instructing (as a dharma-teacher) on the procedure for ‘cow-gift redemption’—how to make a substitute donation and how to pronounce the appropriate designated names during the saṅkalpa so the recipient may accept it as a proper cow-gift.