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 ||
毗湿摩说道:“若有人施与一头善性之乳牛——并连同一只青铜挤乳器皿——其犊端美,且不易逃逸;施者便得享天界之乐,其年数多至与此牛身上毫毛之数相等。”
भीष्म उवाच
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.