Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity
Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda
आप्तोयमिषु नियतमेकैकस्मिन् दशाददम् । गृष्टीनां क्षीरदात्रीणां रोहिणीनां शतानि च
āpto ’yam iṣu niyatam ekaikasmin daśādadam | gṛṣṭīnāṃ kṣīradātrīṇāṃ rohiṇīnāṃ śatāni ca ||
ພະພາຄີຣະຖະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ເມື່ອຂ້າໄດ້ຮັບວຣະຕະ ແລະ ດິກສາ (ການອຸປະນິຍາຍ/ການອຸທິດຕົນ) ຕາມທີ່ກຳນົດໃນພິທີບູຊາ, ຂ້າໄດ້ມອບ—ແຕ່ລະຄັ້ງ ໃຫ້ພຣາຫມັນແຕ່ລະຄົນ—ງົວນົມສິບຕົວທີ່ພຶ່ງຄອດຄັ້ງທຳອິດ ແລະ ງົວພັນໂຣຫິນີເປັນຮ້ອຍໆ».
भगीरथ उवाच
That righteous giving (dāna) should be performed in a regulated, lawful manner and directed toward sustaining dharma—here, by supporting brāhmaṇas and sacrificial life with valuable, life-sustaining gifts like milk-yielding cows.
Bhagīratha recounts his past acts of merit: after undertaking sacrificial consecrations and vows, he repeatedly donated to brāhmaṇas sets of ten first-calved, milk-giving cows and additionally hundreds of Rohiṇī-breed cows, presenting his generosity as evidence of dharmic conduct.