13.068
गोदानफलम्
fruit of the gift of a cow
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
भूय एव कुरुश्रेष्ठ दानानां विधिमुत्तमम्। कथयस्व महाप्राज्ञ भूमिदानं विशेषतः ॥१३-६८-१॥
O best of the Kurus, explain again the supreme procedure of gifts, O greatly wise one, especially about the gift of land. (13-68-1)
पृथिवीं क्षत्रियो दद्याद्ब्राह्मणस्तां स्वकर्मणा। विधिवत्प्रतिगृह्णीयान्न त्वन्यो दातुमर्हति ॥१३-६८-२॥
A kṣatriya should give the earth; the brāhmaṇa should properly accept it by his own action. But no one else is entitled to give it. (13-68-2)
सर्ववर्णैस्तु यच्छक्यं प्रदातुं फलकाङ्क्षिभिः। वेदे वा यत्समाम्नातं तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥१३-६८-३॥
But whatever can be granted through all syllables by seekers of reward, or what is established in the Veda, that you ought to explain to me. (13-68-3)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
तुल्यनामानि देयानि त्रीणि तुल्यफलानि च। सर्वकामफलानीह गावः पृथ्वी सरस्वती ॥१३-६८-४॥
Here, cows, the earth, and Sarasvatī—these three with equal names, to be given, are of equal results and bestow all desired benefits. (13-68-4)
यो ब्रूयाच्चापि शिष्याय धर्म्यां ब्राह्मीं सरस्वतीम्। पृथिवीगोप्रदानाभ्यां स तुल्यं फलमश्नुते ॥१३-६८-५॥
Whoever speaks the righteous, Vedic Sarasvatī (knowledge) to a pupil also attains a fruit equal to that obtained by giving away the earth and cows as gifts. (13-68-5)
तथैव गाः प्रशंसन्ति न च देयं ततः परम्। संनिकृष्टफलास्ता हि लघ्वर्थाश्च युधिष्ठिर ॥ मातरः सर्वभूतानां गावः सर्वसुखप्रदाः ॥१३-६८-६॥
In the same way, cows ought to be praised, and nothing is superior to giving them; they produce immediate results, are of little cost, and, O Yudhishthira, cows are the mothers of all beings and givers of all happiness. (13-68-6)
वृद्धिमाकाङ्क्षता नित्यं गावः कार्याः प्रदक्षिणाः। मङ्गलायतनं देव्यस्तस्मात्पूज्याः सदैव हि ॥१३-६८-७॥
Those who desire prosperity should always circumambulate cows; for they are the abode of auspiciousness, the goddess, and therefore always deserving of worship indeed. (13-68-7)
प्रचोदनं देवकृतं गवां कर्मसु वर्तताम्। पूर्वमेवाक्षरं नान्यदभिधेयं कथञ्चन ॥१३-६८-८॥
Let the prompting made by the gods in the actions of the cows abide. Only the imperishable existed before; nothing else should ever be spoken of. (13-68-8)
प्रचारे वा निपाने वा बुधो नोद्वेजयेत गाः। तृषिता ह्यभिवीक्षन्त्यो नरं हन्युः सबान्धवम् ॥१३-६८-९॥
Whether while moving or at the watering place, a wise person should not disturb cows; for when thirsty and intently watching, they might kill a man along with his companions. (13-68-9)
पितृसद्मानि सततं देवतायतनानि च। पूयन्ते शकृता यासां पूतं किमधिकं ततः ॥१३-६८-१०॥
The ancestral homes are constantly, and the abodes of the gods, purified by even a single (act) of those whose purity is such; what can be greater than that? (13-68-10)
ग्रासमुष्टिं परगवे दद्यात्संवत्सरं तु यः। अकृत्वा स्वयमाहारं व्रतं तत्सार्वकामिकम् ॥१३-६८-११॥
Whoever gives, for a year, a handful of food to another's cow, without taking food for himself, that vow grants all desires. (13-68-11)
स हि पुत्रान्यशोर्थं च श्रियं चाप्यधिगच्छति। नाशयत्यशुभं चैव दुःस्वप्नं च व्यपोहति ॥१३-६८-१२॥
Indeed, he obtains sons, fame, wealth, and also prosperity. He also destroys evil and drives away bad dreams. (13-68-12)
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
देयाः किंलक्षणा गावः काश्चापि परिवर्जयेत्। कीदृशाय प्रदातव्या न देयाः कीदृशाय च ॥१३-६८-१३॥
What kinds of cows should be given, and which ones should be avoided? To what sort of person should they be given, and to whom should they not be given? (13-68-13)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
असद्वृत्ताय पापाय लुब्धायानृतवादिने। हव्यकव्यव्यपेताय न देया गौः कथञ्चन ॥१३-६८-१४॥
A cow should never, under any circumstance, be given to a person of bad conduct, a sinner, a greedy individual, one who speaks falsehoods, or one who is not devoted to sacrificial offerings. (13-68-14)
भिक्षवे बहुपुत्राय श्रोत्रियायाहिताग्नये। दत्त्वा दशगवां दाता लोकानाप्नोत्यनुत्तमान् ॥१३-६८-१५॥
Giving ten cows to a mendicant, a man with many sons, a learned Vedic scholar, or one who has kindled the sacred fire, the giver attains unsurpassed worlds. (13-68-15)
यं चैव धर्मं कुरुते तस्य पुण्यफलं च यत्। सर्वस्यैवांशभाग्दाता तन्निमित्तं प्रवृत्तयः ॥१३-६८-१६॥
Whatever duty a man performs and whatever merit results from it, the inclinations (pravṛttayaḥ) are the givers of a share of all this for that reason. (13-68-16)
यश्चैनमुत्पादयति यश्चैनं त्रायते भयात्। यश्चास्य कुरुते वृत्तिं सर्वे ते पितरस्त्रयः ॥१३-६८-१७॥
Whoever causes him to be born, whoever protects him from danger, and whoever provides for his livelihood — all these are the three fathers. (13-68-17)
कल्मषं गुरुशुश्रूषा हन्ति मानो महद्यशः। अपुत्रतां त्रयः पुत्रा अवृत्तिं दश धेनवः ॥१३-६८-१८॥
Service to the teacher removes impurity, great fame eliminates pride, three sons remove sonlessness, and ten cows remove poverty. (13-68-18)
वेदान्तनिष्ठस्य बहुश्रुतस्य; प्रज्ञानतृप्तस्य जितेन्द्रियस्य। शिष्टस्य दान्तस्य यतस्य चैव; भूतेषु नित्यं प्रियवादिनश्च ॥१३-६८-१९॥
The one devoted to Vedānta, well-versed in learning, satisfied with knowledge, self-controlled, cultured, disciplined, and who always speaks pleasant words among all beings—such is described here. (13-68-19)
यः क्षुद्भयाद्वै न विकर्म कुर्या; न्मृदुर्दान्तश्चातिथेयश्च नित्यम्। वृत्तिं विप्रायातिसृजेत तस्मै; यस्तुल्यशीलश्च सपुत्रदारः ॥१३-६८-२०॥
One should give a livelihood to that Brāhmaṇa who, even from hunger and fear, does not commit wrong actions, is gentle, self-restrained, always hospitable, of similar character, and has wife and son. (13-68-20)
शुभे पात्रे ये गुणा गोप्रदाने; तावान्दोषो ब्राह्मणस्वापहारे। सर्वावस्थं ब्राह्मणस्वापहारो; दाराश्चैषां दूरतो वर्जनीयाः ॥१३-६८-२१॥
All the merit found in gifting a cow to a worthy recipient is equal to the fault incurred by taking away a brāhmaṇa's property. In every circumstance, taking a brāhmaṇa's property—and especially their wives—must be avoided from a distance. (13-68-21)
