Shloka 3
Go-apahāra (Cattle Theft), Go-dāna (Cow-Gift), and Suvarṇa-dakṣiṇā (Gold Fee): Karmic Consequence and Purificatory Merit
प्रयत्नं तत्र कुर्वाणास्तस्मात् कूपाज्जलार्थिन: । श्रमेण महता युक्तास्तस्मिंस्तोये सुसंवृते
prayatnaṁ tatra kurvāṇās tasmāt kūpāj jalārthinaḥ | śrameṇa mahatā yuktās tasmiṁs toye susaṁvṛte
ພີສະມະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ດັ່ງນັ້ນ ຜູ້ທີ່ຫານ້ຳຈາກບໍ່ນ້ຳນັ້ນ ຈຶ່ງພາກັນພະຍາຍາມຢ່າງໝັ້ນຄົງຢູ່ທີ່ນັ້ນ. ແມ່ນແຕ່ຈະເມື່ອຍລ້າຢ່າງໜັກ ພວກເຂົາກໍຍັງອົດທົນສືບຕໍ່, ເພາະນ້ຳຂ້າງໃນຖືກປິດກັ້ນໄວ້ແນ່ນຫນາ ບໍ່ງ່າຍຈະໄດ້ມາ.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that worthwhile aims—symbolized by water in a securely enclosed well—are attained through sustained effort (prayatna) even when accompanied by great toil (mahā-śrama). It ethically commends perseverance and disciplined striving rather than expecting easy gain.
Bhīṣma describes people who need water approaching a well and laboring hard to obtain it. Because the water is well-covered/contained, it is not immediately accessible; thus they must persist despite fatigue.