Shloka 49
Phala of Vrata, Niyama, Svādhyāya, Dama, Satya, Brahmacarya, and Service (व्रत-नियम-स्वाध्याय-दम-सत्य-ब्रह्मचर्य-शुश्रूषा-फलप्रश्नः)
एतद् दानं न्यायलब्धं द्विजेभ्य: पात्रे दत्त प्रापणीयं परीक्ष्य । काम्याष्टम्या वर्तितव्यं दशाहं रसैर्गवां शकृता प्रस्नवैर्वा
etad dānaṃ nyāyalabdhaṃ dvijebhyaḥ pātre dattaṃ prāpaṇīyaṃ parīkṣya | kāmyāṣṭamyā vartitavyaṃ daśāhaṃ rasair gavāṃ śakṛtā prasnavair vā ||
Wika ni Naciketa: “Ang handog na ito—mga bakang natamo sa makatarungang paraan—ay dapat ibigay sa mga ‘dalawang-ulit na isinilang’ (mga Brahmin). Matapos siyasatin ang pagiging karapat-dapat ng tatanggap, ang bakang ibinigay sa tunay na nararapat ay dapat ihatid nang wasto hanggang sa kanyang tahanan. At higit pa, simula sa alinmang mapalad na Aṣṭamī (ika-walong araw ng buwan) na pinili para sa ritwal, dapat tuparin ang sampung araw na disiplina, na nabubuhay sa mga produkto ng baka—gatas at mga katas na kaugnay nito—o sa dumi ng baka, o sa ihi ng baka.”
नाचिकेत उवाच
Educational Q&A
Charity must be funded by ethically acquired wealth, offered to genuinely worthy recipients after due scrutiny, and completed responsibly (ensuring the gift reaches the recipient). The accompanying ten-day observance emphasizes self-discipline and ritual purification through cow-related substances, framing dāna as both ethical and ascetic practice.
Naciketas lays down procedural and moral guidelines for go-dāna (donation of cows): acquire the cattle righteously, test the recipient’s worthiness, deliver the cow properly, and undertake a ten-day regimen beginning on an auspicious Aṣṭamī, living on cow-products as part of the rite.