Mahabharata — Svargarohana Parva, Shloka 102
भूमिदानं समादद्याद् वाचकाय नराधिप । भूमिदानसमं दान॑ न भूतं न भविष्यति,नरेश्वर! वाचकके लिये भूमिदान तो अवश्य ही करना चाहिये; क्योंकि भूमिदानके समान दूसरा कोई दान न हुआ है, न होगा
vaiśampāyana uvāca | bhūmidānaṃ samādadyād vācakāya narādhipa | bhūmidānasamaṃ dānaṃ na bhūtaṃ na bhaviṣyati nareśvara ||
বৈশম্পায়নে ক’লে— হে নৰাধিপ! বাচকৰ বাবে ভূমিদান নিশ্চয় কৰা উচিত; কিয়নো ভূমিদানৰ সমান দান অতীতে নাছিল, ভবিষ্যতেও নহ’ব।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates bhūmidāna (donation of land) as the supreme form of charity, especially as patronage to a vācaka (reciter), emphasizing that sustaining livelihood and continuity of sacred learning is an unmatched dharmic gift.
In Vaiśampāyana’s discourse, guidance is being given to a king about proper religious giving; the instruction highlights what should be offered to the reciter connected with the narration/recitation of the epic and related rites—namely, a land-grant as the highest dakṣiṇā.