Shloka 12

Strī-dharma: Śiva’s Inquiry, Umā’s Consultation, and Gaṅgā’s Instruction

Devanagari script

तिलपात्रे फलं प्राह भगवान्‌ पाकशासन: । गोप्रदानं च यः कुर्याद्‌ भूमिदानं च शाश्वतम्‌

Transliteration

tilapātre phalaṁ prāha bhagavān pākaśāsanaḥ | gopradānaṁ ca yaḥ kuryād bhūmidānaṁ ca śāśvatam |

Translation

Lomaśa sprach: „Der Erhabene Pākaśāsana (Indra) verkündete die Frucht der Gabe eines mit Sesam gefüllten Gefäßes. Wer fortwährend Kühe schenkt und dauerhaften Landbesitz stiftet—ein solches Verdienst erkennen die Götter auch der Spende eines Sesamgefäßes zu.“

Word by Word

• {'tilapātra': 'a vessel/bowl containing sesame seeds

• a ritual gift (dāna) associated with merit', 'phala': 'fruit

• spiritual merit accrued from an act', 'prāha': 'said

• declared', 'bhagavān': 'the revered one

• an honorific for a deity', 'pākaśāsana': '‘chastiser of Pāka’

• epithet of Indra', 'gopradāna': 'gift of cows

• charitable donation of cattle', 'bhūmidāna': 'gift of land

• donation of land/property', 'yaḥ kuryāt': 'whoever would do

• who performs', 'śāśvatam': 'everlasting

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• Indra (Pākaśāsana)
• tilapātra (sesame-vessel)
• go-dāna (gift of cows)
• bhūmi-dāna (gift of land)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that sincere charity (dāna), even in a modest form like gifting a sesame-filled vessel, can carry merit comparable to major gifts such as cows and land. It emphasizes accessibility of dharma: ethical giving is not limited to the wealthy, and intention plus prescribed generosity is honored by the gods.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lomaśa recounts a statement attributed to Indra (Pākaśāsana) about the spiritual ‘fruit’ of a particular donation. The passage functions as didactic instruction within Anuśāsana Parva’s broader discourse on gifts, vows, and righteous conduct.