Shloka 69
गवां लोकवर्णनं तथा गोप्रदानफलश्रुतिः
Description of the ‘World of Cows’ and the Stated Fruits of Cow-Gift
(विप्रदारे परह्ते विप्रस्वनिचये तथा । परित्रायन्ति शक्तास्तु नमस्तेभ्यो मृतास्तु वा ।।
bhīṣma uvāca |
vipradāre parahṛte viprasvanicaye tathā |
paritrāyanti śaktās tu namas tebhyo mṛtās tu vā ||
na pālayanti cet tasya hantā vaivasvato yamaḥ |
daṇḍayan bhartsayan nityaṃ nirayebhyo na muñcati ||
tathā gavāṃ paritrāṇe pīḍane ca śubhāśubham |
vipragōṣu viśeṣeṇa rakṣiteṣu hateṣu vā ||
毗湿摩说道：凡婆罗门之妻遭凌辱或被掳去，或婆罗门之财被夺取之处，若有人有力而能护持——当向此等护法者致敬；不护持者，与死无异。日神之子、毗婆斯瓦特·阎摩将成为这等怠惰之人的诛戮者：他日日惩罚、呵责，使其永不得脱离诸地狱。同样地，关于牛，护佑与压迫亦各招致吉与凶之果。尤其是，若以自身之力护持婆罗门与牛，则生功德；若使其被杀害，则生罪业。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma requires active protection of Brahmins (their persons, families, and property) and of cows when one has the capacity; failure to protect is treated as grave moral negligence that leads to severe post-mortem retribution under Yama, while protection yields merit and harm yields sin.
In Bhishma’s instruction on gifts and the greatness of cow-giving (go-dāna), he broadens the ethical frame: beyond ritual giving, society’s guardians must prevent abduction and plunder involving Brahmins and must protect cows; he warns that Yama punishes those who neglect this duty.