Shloka 1
Go-apahāra (Cattle Theft), Go-dāna (Cow-Gift), and Suvarṇa-dakṣiṇā (Gold Fee): Karmic Consequence and Purificatory Merit
: डि् सप्ततितमो< ध्याय: ब्राह्मगके धनका अपहरण करनेसे होनेवाली हानिके विषयमें दृष्टान्तके रूपमें राजा नृगका उपाख्यान भीष्म उवाच अन्रैव कीर्त्यते सद्धरिब्राह्मणस्वाभिमर्शने । नृगेण सुमहत् कृच्छों यदवाप्तं कुरूद्गह
bhīṣma uvāca | atraiva kīrtyate sadbhir brāhmaṇasvābhimarśane | nṛgeṇa sumahat kṛcchro yad avāptaṃ kurūdvaha ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “Sa ganitong usapin din, isinasalaysay ng mga matuwid ang isang pangyayaring nagtuturo tungkol sa mabigat na bunga ng paglapastangan sa nararapat na ari-arian ng isang Brahmin. O pinakadakila sa mga Kuru, sinasabi roon kung paanong si Haring Nṛga ay napasailalim sa matinding kapighatian sapagkat kinuha niya (o ipinakuha) ang yaman ng isang Brahmin.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a king must scrupulously avoid taking or disturbing a Brahmin’s rightful property; violating this boundary is a serious adharma that brings heavy suffering and moral downfall.
Bhishma introduces an exemplum: the well-known account of King Nṛga, who endured great hardship because of an act connected with taking a Brahmin’s wealth. This sets up the forthcoming story as a warning within Bhishma’s dharma-instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira.