Shloka 43
Nṛga-upākhyāna: Brāhmaṇa-sva and the Consequence of Misappropriated Gift-Cattle (कृकलास-रूपे नृगोपाख्यानम्)
अतश्चर्मण्वती राजन् गोचर्मभ्य: प्रवर्तिता । पशुत्वाच्च विनिर्मुक्ता: प्रदानायोपकल्पिता:
Bhīṣma uvāca: ataś carmaṇvatī rājan gocarmabhyaḥ pravartitā | paśutvāc ca vinirmuktāḥ pradānāyopakalpitāḥ ||
பீஷ்மர் கூறினார்— “ஆகவே, அரசே, பசுக்களின் தோல்களால் ‘சர்மண்வதி’ எனும் நதி ஓடியதாகக் கூறப்படுகிறது. அந்தப் பசுக்கள் ‘பசு’ என்ற நிலையிலிருந்து விடுபட்டவை; அவை தானத்திற்காகவே நியமிக்கப்பட்டவை.”
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.