Shloka 43
Nṛga-upākhyāna: Brāhmaṇa-sva and the Consequence of Misappropriated Gift-Cattle (कृकलास-रूपे नृगोपाख्यानम्)
अतश्चर्मण्वती राजन् गोचर्मभ्य: प्रवर्तिता । पशुत्वाच्च विनिर्मुक्ता: प्रदानायोपकल्पिता:
Bhīṣma uvāca: ataś carmaṇvatī rājan gocarmabhyaḥ pravartitā | paśutvāc ca vinirmuktāḥ pradānāyopakalpitāḥ ||
ಭೀಷ್ಮನು ಹೇಳಿದರು— “ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ, ರಾಜನೇ, ಗೋಚರ್ಮಗಳಿಂದ ಚರ್ಮಣ್ವತೀ ಎಂಬ ನದಿ ಹರಿಯಿತು ಎಂದು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಆ ಗೋವುಗಳು ಪಶುತ್ವದಿಂದ ವಿಮುಕ್ತವಾಗಿದ್ದವು; ಅವು ದಾನಾರ್ಥವಾಗಿಯೇ ನಿಯೋಜಿತವಾಗಿದ್ದವು.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma underscores the dharmic gravity of dāna: what is designated for gifting—especially cows in royal rites—should be treated as sacred and ethically protected, not reduced to mere consumable property.
Bhishma explains an etiological tradition: the river Carmaṇvatī is said to have arisen from cow-hides connected with King Rantideva’s great sacrificial-gifting context, emphasizing that the cows involved were specifically set apart for donation and thus 'freed' from ordinary sacrificial-animal status.