Shloka 11
Adhyātma-nirdeśa
Definition of Adhyātma): Mahābhūtas, Indriyas, Guṇas, and the Witness (Kṣetrajña
एषा गौ: परलोकस्थ॑ तारयिष्यति मामिति । यो दत्त्वा प्रियते जन्तुः सा गौ: क॑ तारयिष्यति
eṣā gauḥ paralokasthā tārayiṣyati mām iti | yo dattvā priyate jantuḥ sā gauḥ kaṃ tārayiṣyati ||
有人心想：“这头牛一旦到了来世，必能渡我过彼岸。”于是施舍一牛。然而施者既已布施，不久便死；那么那头牛又将度脱谁呢？
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bharadvāja challenges the idea that salvation can be secured by a merely transactional act—giving a cow with the expectation that it will 'save' the donor in the afterlife. The verse pushes the listener to examine intention, understanding, and the broader life of dharma rather than relying on a mechanical promise attached to a single ritual gift.
In a didactic discussion within Śānti Parva, Bharadvāja speaks critically about a common belief surrounding go-dāna: that the donated cow will later carry the donor across in the next world. He points out the logical tension—once the donor dies after giving, the expectation is simplistic—thereby prompting deeper reflection on what truly leads to spiritual welfare.