Shloka 27

गोप्रदानगुणाः तथा कपिलागोविधानम्

Merits of Cow-Gift and the Origin-Account of Kapilā Cows

Devanagari script

नित्यं दद्यादेकभक्त: सदा च सत्ये स्थितो गुरुशुश्रूषिता च

Transliteration

pitāmaha uvāca | nityaṃ dadyād ekabhaktaḥ sadā ca satye sthito guruśuśrūṣitā ca | indra! yo sadā eka-samayaṃ bhojanaṃ kṛtvā nityaṃ godānaṃ karoti, satye sthito bhavati, guroḥ sevāṃ ca vedānāṃ svādhyāyaṃ ca karoti, yasya manasi gāvoṣu bhaktiḥ, yo gāṃ dātvā prīyate tathā janmanā eva gāvaḥ praṇamati, tasya prāpyamāṇasya asya phalasya varṇanaṃ śṛṇu ||

Translation

Bhīṣma disse: “Ó Indra! Ouve o relato da recompensa que vem àquele que vive com simplicidade disciplinada—comendo apenas uma vez ao dia—que diariamente dá vacas em caridade, permanece firme na verdade, serve ao mestre com reverência, estuda os Vedas, nutre devoção às vacas no coração, alegra-se em doá-las e, desde o nascimento, inclina-se diante das vacas. Escuta agora o fruto que uma vida de verdade, serviço, estudo e generosa doação traz.”

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: always, regularly
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• दद्यात्: should give
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)
• Form: Vidhi-lin (optative), 3, singular, parasmaipada

• एकभक्तः: one who eats only once (a day)
• एकभक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकभक्त
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

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

• सत्ये: in truth
• सत्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• स्थितः: standing/established
• स्थितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (स्थित)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• गुरुशुश्रूषिता: one who has served the teacher
• गुरुशुश्रूषिता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु-शुश्रूषित
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular, क्त (past passive participle)

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

• इन्द्र: O Indra
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

पितामह उवाच

Characters & Entities

• पितामह (Bhīṣma)
• इन्द्र (Indra)
• गुरु (teacher)
• गौः/गावः (cow/cows)
• वेद (Vedas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A dharmic life is portrayed as a blend of disciplined living (one meal a day), unwavering truthfulness, reverent service to the teacher, Vedic study, and generous charity—especially cow-gifts—performed with devotion rather than mere display; such integrated conduct yields great spiritual merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, speaking as a moral instructor, addresses Indra and introduces a description of the rewards promised to a person who practices daily cow-charity along with truth, guru-service, and Vedic study; this verse functions as a lead-in to the ensuing enumeration of the ‘fruit’ (phala) of these practices.