Shloka 21
अन्नदान-प्रशंसा (Praise of the Gift of Food) | Annadāna-Praśaṃsā
निवापदानसलिलस्तादृशेषु युधिष्ठिर । निवसन् पूजयंश्लैव तेष्वानृण्यं नियच्छति
nivāpadānasalilas tādṛśeṣu yudhiṣṭhira | nivasan pūjayaṁś caiva teṣv ānṛṇyaṁ niyacchati ||
ভীষ্মে ক’লে—হে যুধিষ্ঠিৰ! যি জনে তৰ্পণৰ দৰে দানৰূপ জলৰে এনে লোকসকলক তৃপ্ত কৰে আৰু তেওঁলোকক আশ্ৰয় দি সন্মানেৰে পূজা কৰে, সি দেৱতা আদি সকলৰ ঋণৰ পৰা মুক্ত হয়। সেয়ে পূৰ্বোক্ত ব্ৰাহ্মণসকলক দান-জলে সন্তুষ্ট ৰাখা, বাসস্থান আৰু আদৰ দিয়া।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Charity and respectful hospitality—especially toward worthy Brahmanas—functions like a sacred libation (tarpaṇa): it ‘satisfies’ them and helps the giver discharge moral and ritual obligations (ṛṇa), leading to ānṛṇya, freedom from debt to devas, ancestors, and other claimants of duty.
In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma continues instructing Yudhishthira on dharma. Here he urges Yudhishthira to support and honor the previously described Brahmanas by giving them residence and gifts, comparing such giving to the ancestral rite of tarpaṇa, and stating that this conduct frees one from obligations.