Adhyāya 60: Dāna vs. Yajña—Royal Giving, Protection, and Karmic Share
क्रतुभिश्नोपवासैश्व त्रिदिवं याति भारत । लभते च शिवं ज्ञानं फलपुष्पप्रदो नर:
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
kratubhiś copavāsaiś ca tridivaṃ yāti bhārata |
labhate ca śivaṃ jñānaṃ phalapuṣpaprado naraḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O Bhārata, durch Opferhandlungen (yajña) und durch das Halten von Fasten gelangt der Mensch in die Himmelswelt. Und wer Früchte und Blumen verschenkt, erlangt heilsames, segensreiches Wissen—ein Wissen, das zu wahrem Wohlergehen und zur Befreiung führt.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Ritual merit (sacrifice and fasting) is praised as leading to heavenly attainment, while simple acts of giving—such as offering fruits and flowers—are elevated as a cause for gaining auspicious, welfare-bringing spiritual knowledge that points toward liberation.
Vaiśampāyana continues instructive discourse addressed to ‘Bhārata,’ summarizing the fruits of dharmic practices: sacrificial rites and fasting yield svarga, and charitable giving (fruits and flowers) yields śiva-jñāna—beneficial insight associated with ultimate good.