Shloka 43
अतश्चर्मण्वती राजन् गोचर्मभ्य: प्रवर्तिता । पशुत्वाच्च विनिर्मुक्ता: प्रदानायोपकल्पिता:,इसीसे गौ और ब्राह्मणको मनस्वी पुरुष एक बताते हैं। राजन! राजा रन्तिदेवके यज्ञमें वे पशुरूपसे दान देनेके लिये निश्चित की गयी थीं; अतः गौओंके चमड़ोंसे वह चर्मण्वती नामक नदी प्रवाहित हुई थी। वे सभी गौएँ पशुत्वसे विमुक्त थीं और दान देनेके लिये नियत की गयी थीं
Bhīṣma uvāca: ataś carmaṇvatī rājan gocarmabhyaḥ pravartitā | paśutvāc ca vinirmuktāḥ pradānāyopakalpitāḥ ||
अतश्चर्मण्वती राजन् गोचर्मभ्यः प्रवर्तिता । पशुत्वाच्च विनिर्मुक्ताः प्रदानायोपकल्पिताः ॥
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma underscores the dharmic gravity of dāna: what is designated for gifting—especially cows in royal rites—should be treated as sacred and ethically protected, not reduced to mere consumable property.
Bhishma explains an etiological tradition: the river Carmaṇvatī is said to have arisen from cow-hides connected with King Rantideva’s great sacrificial-gifting context, emphasizing that the cows involved were specifically set apart for donation and thus 'freed' from ordinary sacrificial-animal status.