Shloka 33
Phala of Vrata, Niyama, Svādhyāya, Dama, Satya, Brahmacarya, and Service (व्रत-नियम-स्वाध्याय-दम-सत्य-ब्रह्मचर्य-शुश्रूषा-फलप्रश्नः)
दत्त्वा धेनुं सुव्रतां कांस्यदोहां कल्याणवत्सामपलायिनीं च । यावन्ति रोमाणि भवन्ति तस्या- स्तावद् वर्षाण्यश्रुते स्वर्गलोकम्
bhīṣma uvāca | dattvā dhenuṃ suvratāṃ kāṃsyadohāṃ kalyāṇavatsām apalāyinīṃ ca | yāvanti romāṇi bhavanti tasyās tāvad varṣāṇy aśnute svargalokam ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Ang sinumang maghandog ng isang bakang nagbibigay-gatas na may marangal na asal—kalakip ang isang sisidlang tansong panggatas—na may mabuting guya at hindi madaling tumakas, ang nagbigay ay magtatamasa ng daigdig ng langit sa loob ng kasingdaming taon ng bilang ng balahibo sa katawan ng bakang iyon.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that dāna, when done thoughtfully—giving a useful, complete gift (a good milch-cow with calf and milking vessel) and ensuring it is suitable and manageable—produces vast spiritual merit, symbolized by long enjoyment of Svarga.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (especially gifts and their fruits), he describes the reward for gifting a well-qualified cow: the donor attains heavenly enjoyment for a duration poetically measured by the number of hairs on the cow’s body.