Shloka 16
Śāṇḍilī–Sumanā-saṃvāda: Sat-strī-samudācāra and Pati-dharma
Conduct of the Virtuous Wife
शुभं सर्वपवित्रेभ्यो दानमेव परं द्विज । नो चेत् सर्वपवित्रेभ्यो दानमेव परं भवेत्
śubhaṃ sarvapavitrebhyo dānam eva paraṃ dvija | no cet sarvapavitrebhyo dānam eva paraṃ bhavet |
ব্যাসে ক’লে— “হে দ্বিজ, সকলো পবিত্ৰ আৰু মঙ্গলকৰ কৰ্মৰ ভিতৰত দানেই পৰম। দান যদি সকলো পবিত্ৰ কৰ্মত শ্ৰেষ্ঠ নহ’লেহেঁতেন, তেন্তে বেদ-শাস্ত্ৰত তাৰ ইমান প্ৰশংসা নাথাকিলেহেঁতেন।”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that dāna (charitable giving) is the highest among purifying and auspicious practices; its exceptional praise in Vedic and śāstric tradition is presented as evidence of its supreme ethical and spiritual value.
Vyāsa addresses a ‘dvija’ (a Brahmin interlocutor) and asserts a hierarchy of virtues: among all acts considered pure, giving stands foremost, and the scriptural tradition’s repeated commendation is cited to reinforce this claim.