Shloka 22
गोप्रदानगुणाः तथा कपिलागोविधानम्
Merits of Cow-Gift and the Origin-Account of Kapilā Cows
न जातु ब्राह्मणो वाच्यो यदवाच्यं शचीपते । मनसा गोधु न द्रुह्ेद् गोवृत्तिगोंडनुकल्पक:
na jātu brāhmaṇo vācyo yad avācyaṃ śacīpate | manasā goṣu na druhyed govṛttigo'nukalpakaḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai tuan Śacī (Indra), jangan sekali-kali berkata kepada seorang brāhmaṇa dengan kata-kata yang tidak patut diucapkan. Demikian juga, jangan menyimpan niat jahat terhadap lembu, walau hanya dalam fikiran. Seorang brāhmaṇa yang hidup dengan cara ‘seperti lembu’—sederhana dan tidak menyakiti—yang menyediakan rumput dan makanan untuk lembu, serta teguh pada kebenaran dan dharma: dengarlah buah yang diperolehnya. Walaupun dia hanya mendermakan seekor lembu, dia meraih pahala seumpama menderma seribu ekor lembu.”
पितामह उवाच
Educational Q&A
Guard speech and intention: never use improper or abusive words toward a brāhmaṇa, and never entertain hostility toward cows even mentally. A life of simplicity, truth, and active care for cows magnifies the merit of charity—so much that gifting even one cow is praised as equal to a thousand cow-gifts.
In Bhīṣma’s dharma-instruction (Anuśāsana Parva), he addresses Indra by epithet (Śacīpati) while explaining ethical restraints (speech and mental non-harm) and then extols the extraordinary spiritual fruit of cow-related charity, especially when performed by a truthful, dharma-minded brāhmaṇa who supports and provides for cows.