Shloka 36

Devanagari script

गुर्वर्थ वा बालपुष्ट्याभिषंगां गां वै दातुं देशकालो<विशिष्ट: । अन्तर्ज्ाता: सक्रयज्ञानलब्धा: प्राणक्रीता निर्जिता यौतकाश्ष

Transliteration

gurvartha vā bālapuṣṭyābhiṣaṅgāṁ gāṁ vai dātuṁ deśa-kālo viśiṣṭaḥ | antarjātāḥ sakraya-jñāna-labdhāḥ prāṇa-krītā nirjitā yautakāś ca ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଗୁରୁକାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ପାଇଁ, କିମ୍ବା ଶିଶୁମାନଙ୍କ ପୁଷ୍ଟି ଓ ମଙ୍ଗଳ ପ୍ରତି ସ୍ନେହବଶତଃ, ଯଥୋଚିତ ଦେଶ-କାଳ ମାନି ଗୋଦାନ କରିବା ବିଶେଷ ପ୍ରଶଂସନୀୟ। ଏମିତି ଗାଈ ନିଜ ଗୋଠରେ ଜନ୍ମିତ, ବିଧିପୂର୍ବକ କ୍ରୟ କରି ମାଲିକାନା-ଜ୍ଞାନ ସହ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ, ପ୍ରାଣମୂଲ୍ୟରେ (ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ କଷ୍ଟରେ) ଅର୍ଜିତ, ବିଜୟରେ ଲାଭ, କିମ୍ବା ଯୌତକ (ବିବାହ-ଉପହାର/ଦେହେଜ) ରୂପେ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ହୋଇପାରେ।

Word by Word

• गुरु-अर्थम्: for the sake of the teacher
• गुरु-अर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• बाल-पुष्टि-अभिषङ्गाम्: one attached to child-nourishment (a milch-cow kept for calves)
• बाल-पुष्टि-अभिषङ्गाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल + पुष्टि + अभिषङ्ग
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गाम्: a cow
• गाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• दातुम्: to give
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)
• Form: तुमुन्

• देश-कालः: place and time (the proper occasion)
• देश-कालः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश + काल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विशिष्टः: is distinguished/specially prescribed
• विशिष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशिष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अन्तर्जाताः: born within (the household)
• अन्तर्जाताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर्जात
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सक्रय-ज्ञान-लब्धाः: obtained by knowledge that is with purchase/fee (i.e., acquired for a price)
• सक्रय-ज्ञान-लब्धाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सक्रय + ज्ञान + लब्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्राण-क्रीताः: bought with life (at the cost of life)
• प्राण-क्रीताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राण + क्रीत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• निर्जिताः: won/conquered
• निर्जिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्जित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यौतकाश्च: and those received as marriage-gifts/dowry
• यौतकाश्च: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौतका + च
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• guru (teacher/preceptor)
• cow (go)
• yautaka (marriage-gift/dowry)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma emphasizes that gifting a cow (go-dāna) is a meritorious act when done with deśa-kāla propriety, especially for honoring one’s guru and for the welfare of children; he also notes ethically legitimate sources of such a gift (home-bred, lawfully purchased, hard-won, conquered, or received as yautaka).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues advising on charitable giving, specifying when and why cow-gifts are appropriate and listing acceptable ways a donor may have acquired the cow to be given.