Shloka 18
Go-dāna-stuti and Ghṛta-Japa
Praise of cow-gift and ghee-centered recitation
गोद: शीली निर्भयश्चार्थदाता न स्याद् दुःखी वसुदाता च कामम् | उषस्योढा भारते यश्न विद्वान् विख्यातास्ते वैष्णवाश्रषन्द्रलोका:
Bhīṣma uvāca—
Godaḥ śīlī nirbhayaś cārthadātā na syād duḥkhī vasudātā ca kāmam | uṣasy uṭhā Bhārate yaś ca vidvān vikhyātās te vaiṣṇavāś candralokāḥ ||
毗湿摩说：施牛者具足德行；偿付其正当价值者无所畏惧。若以黄金代牛，量力而施，则不堕忧苦。凡黎明而起、奉行日常宗教仪则者，通晓《摩诃婆罗多》者，以及声名远播的毗湿奴信徒（Vaiṣṇava）——此等之人皆得往生月界（月世界）。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Charity aligned with dharma—especially cow-gift or its fair equivalent—brings merit and freedom from sorrow; disciplined daily conduct and Vaiṣṇava devotion elevate one’s spiritual destiny (here, Candraloka).
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma (Anuśāsana Parva), he praises the merit of go-dāna and acceptable substitution by gold, then links moral discipline (rising at dawn, daily rites), scriptural learning (knowledge of the Bhārata), and devotion to Viṣṇu with attainment of a heavenly realm.