Shloka 38
दैव–पुरुषकार-प्रश्नः
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Inquiry: Fate and Human Effort
गोप्रदानेन मिथ्या च ब्राह्मणेभ्यो महामखे । पुरा नृगश्न राजर्षि: कूकलासत्वमागत:
gopradānena mithyā ca brāhmaṇebhyo mahāmakhe | purā nṛgaś ca rājarṣiḥ kūkalāsatvam āgataḥ ||
毗湿摩说道：往昔王圣尼利伽（Nṛga）以大施闻名；然而在一次大祭中向婆罗门施牛时，因一时差错——将同一头牛重复施与——遂堕为蜥蜴之身。此事昭示：即便是著名的施主，于布施（dāna）亦须谨严无失；凡误害受者、致其受屈之过——如同牛二施——皆可招致沉重的业报。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dāna must be accurate and non-injurious: even an unintended mistake in a sacred gift—especially one that wrongs a recipient—can produce serious karmic results. Good intention does not fully cancel the ethical duty of carefulness and fairness.
Bhīṣma cites an ancient example: the royal sage Nṛga, though famed for generosity, once made an error while donating cows to Brahmins during a great sacrifice (apparently giving the same cow twice). Because of that fault, he later fell into the condition of a lizard.