Shloka 231

Go-dāna-stuti and Ghṛta-Japa

Praise of cow-gift and ghee-centered recitation

Devanagari script

कामानू्‌ सर्वान्‌ पार्थिवानेकसंस्थान्‌ यो वै दद्यात्‌ कामदुघांच धेनुम्‌ । सम्यक्ता: स्युर्हव्यकव्यौघवत्य- स्तासामुक्ष्णां ज्यायसां सम्प्रदानम्‌

Transliteration

kāmānū sarvān pārthivānekasaṃsthān yo vai dadyāt kāmadughāṃ ca dhenum | samyaktāḥ syur havyakavyaughavatyaḥ tāsām ukṣṇāṃ jyāyasāṃ sampradānam

Translation

毗湿摩曰：凡能施舍王者诸般享乐，又复布施一头如愿之“迦摩德奴”母牛者，其祭火供献与祖灵供养皆得圆满丰盛。然而，比这些布施更为殊胜的，是依正法施与强健上等之公牛（以繁殖并维系牛群）；此施能护持长久的兴盛与合乎正法的家道绵延不绝。

Word by Word

• कामान्: desires / desired objects
• कामान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पार्थिव: royal / fit for kings
• पार्थिव: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अनेकसंस्थान्: of many kinds/forms
• अनेकसंस्थान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक-संस्थान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• दद्यात्: should give
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कामदुघाम्: wish-fulfilling
• कामदुघाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम-दुघा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• धेनुम्: cow
• धेनुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सम्यक्ताः: properly performed / duly done
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्यक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्युः: would be / would become
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• हव्यकव्यौघवत्यः: abounding in streams of offerings to gods and ancestors
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हव्य-कव्य-ओघ-वत्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• तासाम्: of those (cows)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• उक्ष्णाम्: of the bulls/oxen
• Type: Noun
• Root: उक्षन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• ज्यायसाम्: of the superior/elder (ones)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्यायस्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सम्प्रदानम्: the act of giving / donation (as a proper gift)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्प्रदान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• kāmadughā dhenu (wish-fulfilling cow)
• ukṣan (bull/ox)
• havya (offerings to gods)
• kavya (offerings to ancestors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that gifts should be evaluated by their dharmic impact: beyond luxurious or symbolic gifts, the highest giving is that which sustains life and righteous livelihood—here, donating superior bulls that ensure ongoing cattle prosperity, thereby supporting household duties, sacrifice, and ancestral rites.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dāna within the Anushasana Parva, he compares different donations. He states that giving royal pleasures and a wish-fulfilling cow brings abundance to offerings for gods and ancestors, but he then elevates the donation of excellent bulls as an even greater, more enduring gift.