Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 15
Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity
Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda
दोग्ध्रीणां वै गवां चापि प्रयुतानि दशैव ह । प्रादां दशगुणं ब्रह्मनू न तेनाहमिहागत:
dogdhrīṇāṃ vai gavāṃ cāpi prayutāni daśaiva ha | prādāṃ daśaguṇaṃ brahman na tena aham iha āgataḥ ||
ພະພາຄີຣະຖະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ພຣາຫມັນ, ຂ້າໄດ້ບໍລິຈາກງົວນົມ ສິບປະຍຸຕ, ແລະຍັງບໍລິຈາກເກີນນັ້ນອີກເຖິງສິບເທົ່າ. ແຕ່ດ້ວຍບຸນນັ້ນ ຂ້າກໍບໍ່ໄດ້ບັນລຸສະພາບນີ້».
भगीरथ उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even immense charity—such as gifting vast numbers of milch-cows—does not by itself guarantee the highest result; dharma depends on deeper factors like purity of intent, right conduct, and the overall moral-spiritual context of one’s life.
Bhagīratha addresses a Brāhmaṇa and recounts the extraordinary scale of his cow-gifts (ten prayutas and even tenfold more), then states that despite such merit he has not attained the desired state, prompting reflection on what truly leads to spiritual fulfillment.