Shloka 15

Go-dāna-stuti and Ghṛta-Japa

Praise of cow-gift and ghee-centered recitation

Devanagari script

गोप्रदानीति वक्तव्यमर्घ्यवस्त्रवसुप्रद: । ऊर्ध्वास्या भवितव्या च वैष्णवीति च चोदयेत्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | gopradānīti vaktavyam arghyavastravasupradaḥ | ūrdhvāsyā bhavitavyā ca vaiṣṇavīti ca codayet ||

Translation

ତାଙ୍କୁ ଔପଚାରିକଭାବେ ‘ଗୋପ୍ରଦାନୀ’ ଏବଂ ‘ଅର୍ଘ୍ୟ, ବସ୍ତ୍ର, ଧନ ପ୍ରଦାନକାରୀ’ ବୋଲି ଘୋଷଣା କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ଏହାସହ ଶୁଭ-ଆତ୍ମବିଶ୍ୱାସରେ ମୁହଁ ଉପରକୁ ରଖିବାକୁ ପ୍ରେରିତ କରି ‘ବୈଷ୍ଣବୀ’—ବିଷ୍ଣୁଭକ୍ତ—ବୋଲି ସମ୍ବୋଧନ କରି ଉତ୍ସାହ ଦେବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• गोप्रदानीति: “(it is) cow-gift” (as the designation)
• गोप्रदानीति: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो-प्रदान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• वक्तव्यम्: should be said / must be stated
• वक्तव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: तव्यत्, Neuter, Nominative, Singular, Obligation/necessity (passive sense)

• अर्घ्यवस्त्रवसुप्रदः: giver of arghya, garments, and wealth
• अर्घ्यवस्त्रवसुप्रदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्घ्य-वस्त्र-वसु-प्रद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ऊर्ध्वास्याः: with faces turned upward
• ऊर्ध्वास्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व-आस्य
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• भवितव्याः: should be / must become
• भवितव्याः: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: तव्यत्, Feminine, Nominative, Plural, Obligation/necessity

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वैष्णवीति: “(she is) Vaiṣṇavī” (as the designation)
• वैष्णवीति: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णवी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• चोदयेत्: should prompt / should enjoin / should cause (to be said)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चुद्
• Form: Vidhi-lin (optative), Optative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• cow (go)
• arghya (honor-offering)
• garments (vastra)
• wealth (vasu)
• Viṣṇu (implied by vaiṣṇavī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma emphasizes the dharmic value of dāna (charitable giving): donors of cows and other respectful gifts (honor-offerings, clothing, wealth) should be publicly acknowledged and encouraged, linking generosity with auspicious conduct and Vaiṣṇava devotion.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction section of the Anuśāsana Parva, he lays down prescriptive guidance on how a giver should be addressed and encouraged—praising the act of cow-gift and other donations, and urging an auspicious, uplifted demeanor along with identification as devoted to Viṣṇu.