Shloka 7
Gaṅgā-māhātmya: Siddha–Śilavṛtti-saṃvāda and Gaṅgā-stava (गङ्गामाहात्म्यं—सिद्ध-शिलवृत्ति-संवादः)
गोकुलस्य तृषार्तस्य जलार्थे वसुधाधिप । उत्पादयति यो विषध्नं त॑ विद्याद् ब्रह्मघातिनम्,'पृथ्वीनाथ! जो प्याससे पीड़ित हुई गौओंके पानी पीनेमें विघ्न डालता है, उसे भी ब्रह्मघाती जाने
gokulasya tṛṣārtasya jalārthe vasudhādhipa | utpādayati yo viṣadhnaṃ taṃ vidyād brahmaghātinam ||
Bhīṣma nói: “Tâu Chúa tể cõi đất, kẻ nào gây ra sự ngăn trở hiểm độc khi một đàn bò, bị hành hạ bởi cơn khát, tìm đến nước—hãy biết kẻ ấy là người sát hại Bà-la-môn.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Preventing thirsty cows from obtaining water is treated as an extremely grave adharma, equated here with brahmahatyā. The verse elevates compassion and protection of the helpless—especially ensuring access to water—as a central ethical duty.
In Bhishma’s instruction on righteous conduct to the king, he gives a pointed example: if someone causes a deadly or harmful obstruction when a herd of cows seeks water, that person should be regarded as committing a sin comparable to killing a Brahmin.