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Shloka 27

दानफलप्रकरणम् — उपानहदानं, तिलदानं, भूमिदानं, गोदानं, अन्नदानं च

Gifts and Their Stated Results: Footwear, Sesame, Land, Cows, and Food

मृत्युरवैकिड्करो दण्डस्तमो वह्नि: सुदारुण: | घोराश्न॒ दारुणा: पाशा नोपसर्पन्ति भूमिदम्‌,कालकी भेजी हुई मौत, दण्ड, तमोगुण, दारुण अग्नि और अत्यन्त भयंकर पाश--ये भूमिदान करनेवाले पुरुषका स्पर्श नहीं कर सकते हैं

mṛtyur avaikidkaro daṇḍas tamo vahniḥ sudāruṇaḥ | ghorāśna dāruṇāḥ pāśā nopasarpanti bhūmidam ||

Bhīṣma sprach: Der von Kāla gesandte Tod, der Strafstab, die blendende Finsternis, das grausame Feuer und die schrecklichsten Schlingen—sie alle nahen dem Mann nicht, der Land spendet.

मृत्युःdeath
मृत्युः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अवैकीड्करःunrelenting/unyielding (epithet; text uncertain)
अवैकीड्करः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअवैकीड्कर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
दण्डःpunishment; rod (of chastisement)
दण्डः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदण्ड
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तमःdarkness
तमः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतमस्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
वह्निःfire
वह्निः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवह्नि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सुदारुणःvery dreadful
सुदारुणः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसु-दरुण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
घोराःterrible
घोराः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootघोर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
दारुणाःcruel; dreadful
दारुणाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootदारुण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पाशाःnooses; bonds
पाशाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपाश
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
उपसर्पन्तिapproach; come near
उपसर्पन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootउप-√सृप्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
भूमिदम्the giver of land
भूमिदम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभूमि-द
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
M
mṛtyu (Death)
D
daṇḍa (Punishment/rod)
T
tamas (Darkness)
V
vahni (Fire)
P
pāśa (Noose/bond)
B
bhūmi-dāna (gift of land)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that bhūmi-dāna (donation of land) is an exceptionally powerful act of dharma whose merit protects the donor from fearful afflictions—symbolized by death, punishment, darkness, fire, and binding nooses—i.e., from severe suffering and adverse karmic outcomes.

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma, especially the fruits of various gifts. Here he extols land-giving by declaring that terrifying forces cannot come near the giver of land, emphasizing the superior spiritual efficacy of this form of charity.