Critical Edition
इन्द्र उवाच जानन्यो गामपहरेद्विक्रीयाद्वार्थकारणात् एतद्विज्ञातुमिच्छामि का नु तस्य गतिर्भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: Indra said I desire to know. O Grandfather, what the end is of his who consciously steals a cow or who sells one from motives of cupidity.
ब्रह्मोवाच भक्षार्थं विक्रयार्थं वा येऽपहारं हि कुर्वते दानार्थं वा ब्राह्मणाय तत्रेदं श्रूयतां फलम्
M. N. Dutt: The Grandfather said Hear of the consequences that befall those persons who steal a cow for killing her for food or selling her for money, or making a gift of her to a Brahmana.
विक्रयार्थं हि यो हिंस्याद्भक्षयेद्वा निरङ्कुशः घातयानं हि पुरुषं येऽनुमन्येयुरर्थिनः
AI Translation: One who kills or eats without restraint for the sake of selling, Or those who approve of a man being killed for the sake of gain,
घातकः खादको वापि तथा यश्चानुमन्यते यावन्ति तस्या लोमानि तावद्वर्षाणि मज्जति
AI Translation: One who kills, one who eats, and one who consents to it For as many hairs as there are on his body, he sinks for that many years.
ये दोषा यादृशाश्चैव द्विजयज्ञोपघातके विक्रये चापहारे च ते दोषा वै स्मृताः प्रभो
M. N. Dutt: O you of great power, those sins and those kinds of faults that have been said to attach to one which obstructs a Brahmana's sacrifice, are said to attach to the sale and the theft of kine.
अपहृत्य तु यो गां वै ब्राह्मणाय प्रयच्छति यावद्दाने फलं तस्यास्तावन्निरयमृच्छति
M. N. Dutt: That man who having stolen a cow makes a gift of her to a Brahmana, enjoys happiness in Heaven as the reward of the gift but suffers misery in Hell for the sin of theft for the same period.
सुवर्णं दक्षिणामाहुर्गोप्रदाने महाद्युते सुवर्णं परमं ह्युक्तं दक्षिणार्थमसंशयम्
M. N. Dutt: Gold has been said to form the present, O you of great splendour, in gifts of kine. Indeed, gold has been said to be the best present in all sacrifices.
गोप्रदानं तारयते सप्त पूर्वांस्तथा परान् सुवर्णं दक्षिणां दत्त्वा तावद्द्विगुणमुच्यते
M. N. Dutt: By making a gift of kine one is said to rescue his ancestors to seventh degree as also his descendants to the seventh degree. By giving away kine with the presents of gold, one rescues his ancestors and descendants of double the number.
सुवर्णं परमं दानं सुवर्णं दक्षिणा परा सुवर्णं पावनं शक्र पावनानां परं स्मृतम्
M. N. Dutt: The gift of gold is the best of gifts. Gold is, again, the best present. Gold is a great purifier. O Shakra, and is, indeed, the best of all purifying objects.
कुलानां पावनं प्राहुर्जातरूपं शतक्रतो एषा मे दक्षिणा प्रोक्ता समासेन महाद्युते
M. N. Dutt: O you of a hundred sacrifices, gold has been said to be the purifier of the entire family of him who gives it away. I have thus, O you of great splendour, told you in brief of Dakshina.
भीष्म उवाच एतत्पितामहेनोक्तमिन्द्राय भरतर्षभ इन्द्रो दशरथायाह रामायाह पिता तथा
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said This was said by the Grandfather to Indra, O chief of Bharata's race. Indra delivered it to Dasharatha, and Dasharatha in his turn to his son Rama.
राघवोऽपि प्रियभ्रात्रे लक्ष्मणाय यशस्विने ऋषिभ्यो लक्ष्मणेनोक्तमरण्ये वसता विभो
M. N. Dutt: Rama of Raghu's race gave it to his dear and illustrious brother Lakshmana. While living in the forest, Lakshmana imparted it to the Rishis.
पारंपर्यागतं चेदमृषयः संशितव्रताः दुर्धरं धारयामासू राजानश्चैव धार्मिकाः उपाध्यायेन गदितं मम चेदं युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: It has then described from generation to generation, for the Rishis of rigid vows held it amongst themselves as also the pious kings of the Earth.
य इदं ब्राह्मणो नित्यं वदेद्ब्राह्मणसंसदि यज्ञेषु गोप्रदानेषु द्वयोरपि समागमे
AI Translation: One who always recites this in the assembly of Brahmins, at sacrifices, in the giving of cows, and in the meeting of both,
तस्य लोकाः किलाक्षय्या दैवतैः सह नित्यदा इति ब्रह्मा स भगवानुवाच परमेश्वरः
AI Translation: His worlds are indeed inexhaustible, always with the gods. Thus spoke the Blessed Lord Brahma,