13.068
godāna-phalam
fruit of the gift of a cow
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
bhūya eva kuruśreṣṭha dānānāṃ vidhim uttamam। kathayasva mahāprājña bhūmidānaṃ viśeṣataḥ॥13-68-1॥
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)
pṛthivīṃ kṣatriyo dadyād brāhmaṇas tāṃ svakarmaṇā. vidhivat pratigṛhṇīyān na tv anyo dātum arhati ॥13-68-2॥
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)
sarvavarṇais tu yat śakyaṃ pradātuṃ phalākāṅkṣibhiḥ. vede vā yat samāmnātaṃ tan me vyākhyātum arhasi ॥13-68-3॥
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)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
tulyanāmāni deyāni trīṇi tulyaphalāni ca। sarvakāmaphalānīha gāvaḥ pṛthvī sarasvatī॥13-68-4॥
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)
yo brūyāccāpi śiṣyāya dharmyāṃ brāhmīṃ sarasvatīm। pṛthivīgopradānābhyāṃ sa tulyaṃ phalamaśnute ॥13-68-5॥
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)
tathaiva gāḥ praśaṁsanti na ca deyaṁ tataḥ param। saṁnikṛṣṭaphalās tā hi laghv arthāś ca yudhiṣṭhira ॥ mātaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ gāvaḥ sarvasukhapradāḥ ॥13-68-6॥
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)
vṛddhim-ākāṅkṣatā nityaṃ gāvaḥ kāryāḥ pradakṣiṇāḥ। maṅgalāyatanaṃ devyas-tasmāt-pūjyāḥ sadaiva hi ॥13-68-7॥
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)
pracodanaṁ devakṛtaṁ gavāṁ karmasu vartatām। pūrvamevākṣaraṁ nānyadabhidheyaṁ kathañcana ॥13-68-8॥
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)
pracāre vā nipāne vā budho nodvejayet gāḥ। tṛṣitā hy abhivīkṣantyaḥ naraṃ hanyuḥ sabāndhavam ॥13-68-9॥
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)
pitṛsadmāni satataṃ devatāyatanāni ca। pūyante śakṛtā yāsāṃ pūtaṃ kim adhikaṃ tataḥ॥13-68-10॥
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)
grāsamuṣṭiṁ paragave dadyātsaṁvatsaraṁ tu yaḥ। akṛtvā svayamāhāraṁ vrataṁ tatsārvakāmikam ॥13-68-11॥
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)
sa hi putrān yaśaḥ arthaṃ ca śriyaṃ ca api adhigacchati। nāśayati aśubhaṃ ca eva duḥsvapnaṃ ca vyapohati ॥13-68-12॥
Indeed, he obtains sons, fame, wealth, and also prosperity. He also destroys evil and drives away bad dreams. (13-68-12)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
deyāḥ kiṁlakṣaṇā gāvaḥ kāścāpi parivarjayet। kīdṛśāya pradātavyā na deyāḥ kīdṛśāya ca ॥13-68-13॥
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)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
asad-vṛttāya pāpāya lubdhāyā'nṛtavādine। havyakavya-vyapetāya na deyā gauḥ kathañcana॥13-68-14॥
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)
bhikṣave bahuputrāya śrotriyāyāhitāgnaye। dattvā daśagavāṃ dātā lokān-āpnoty-anuttamān ॥13-68-15॥
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)
yaṁ caiva dharmaṁ kurute tasya puṇyaphalaṁ ca yat। sarvasyaiva aṁśabhāg dātā tan-nimittaṁ pravṛttayaḥ ॥13-68-16॥
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)
yaś cainam utpādayati yaś cainaṃ trāyate bhayāt | yaś cāsya kurute vṛttiṃ sarve te pitaras trayaḥ ॥13-68-17॥
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)
kalmaṣaṁ guruśuśrūṣā hanti māno mahadyaśaḥ| aputratāṁ trayaḥ putrā avṛttiṁ daśa dhenavaḥ ॥13-68-18॥
Service to the teacher removes impurity, great fame eliminates pride, three sons remove sonlessness, and ten cows remove poverty. (13-68-18)
vedāntaniṣṭhasya bahuśrutasya; prajñānatṛptasya jitendriyasya. śiṣṭasya dāntasya yatasya caiva; bhūteṣu nityaṃ priyavādinaś ca ॥13-68-19॥
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)
yaḥ kṣud-bhayād vai na vikarma kuryān mṛdur dāntaś cātitheyaś ca nityam| vṛttiṃ viprāyātisṛjet tasmai yas tulyaśīlaś ca saputradhāraḥ ॥13-68-20॥
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)
śubhe pātre ye guṇā gopradāne; tāvān doṣo brāhmaṇasvāpahāre. sarvāvasthaṃ brāhmaṇasvāpahāraḥ; dārāś caiṣāṃ dūrato varjanīyāḥ ॥13-68-21॥
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)
