Shloka 29
Phala of Vrata, Niyama, Svādhyāya, Dama, Satya, Brahmacarya, and Service (व्रत-नियम-स्वाध्याय-दम-सत्य-ब्रह्मचर्य-शुश्रूषा-फलप्रश्नः)
यमोअब्रवीद् विद्धि भोज्यास्त्वमेता ये दातार: साधवो गोरसानाम् | अन्ये लोका: शाश्वृता वीतशोकै: समाकीर्णा गोप्रदाने रतानाम्
yamo 'bravīd viddhi bhojyās tvam etā ye dātāraḥ sādhavo gorasānām | anye lokāḥ śāśvatā vītaśokaiḥ samākīrṇā gopradāne ratānām ||
यमराज म्हणाले—“ब्राह्मण! या नद्या गोरस दान करणाऱ्या साधुपुरुषांचेच भोजन आहे, असे जाण. जे गोदानात रत आहेत, त्यांच्यासाठी आणखीही शाश्वत लोक आहेत—दुःख-शोक विरहित—पुण्यात्म्यांनी परिपूर्ण।”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that generosity—especially giving cows or cow-products—has profound dharmic value and leads to sorrowless, enduring realms in the afterlife; charity is portrayed as a direct cause of spiritual well-being beyond death.
Within Bhīṣma’s discourse, Yama is quoted addressing a Brahmin, explaining that certain rivers/streams are to be understood as sustenance for virtuous donors of cow-produce, and that those devoted to cow-gifts attain eternal, grief-free worlds populated by the righteous.