Shloka 50
Nṛga-upākhyāna: Brāhmaṇa-sva and the Consequence of Misappropriated Gift-Cattle (कृकलास-रूपे नृगोपाख्यानम्)
गाव: शरण्या भूतानामिति वेदविदो विदु: । तस्माद् ददाति यो थेनुं शरणं सम्प्रयच्छति
gāvaḥ śaraṇyā bhūtānām iti vedavido viduḥ | tasmād dadāti yo dhenuṃ śaraṇaṃ samprayacchati ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Para arif Veda menyatakan bahawa lembu ialah tempat perlindungan bagi semua makhluk bernyawa. Maka, sesiapa yang menghadiahkan seekor lembu perahan dalam sedekah, pada hakikatnya memberikan perlindungan—menjadi pelindung dan pemberi teduh kepada orang lain.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Cows are regarded, on Vedic authority, as a universal refuge; hence gifting a milch-cow (go-dāna) is ethically framed as granting protection and shelter to beings, not merely giving property.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma in the Anushasana Parva, he praises the religious and social value of charitable giving, specifically highlighting the gift of a cow as an act equivalent to providing refuge.