Shloka 8
Gopradāna-phalasaṃprāpti: Nāciketa’s Vision of Vaivasvata’s Realms (गोप्रदानफलसम्प्राप्तिः — नाचिकेतोपाख्यानम्)
अन्ने दत्ते नरेणेह प्राणा दत्ता भवन्त्युत
anne datte nareṇeha prāṇā dattā bhavanty uta |
Bhishma sprach: „In dieser Welt ist es, wenn ein Mensch Nahrung gibt, als hätte er das Leben selbst gegeben; denn es gibt keine Gabe, die größer wäre als die Gabe des Lebens. O du Mächtigarmige, gewiss hast du in diesem Zusammenhang auch das Wort des Weisen Lomaśa vernommen.“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Giving food is equated with giving life, because food sustains the prāṇas (vital forces). Therefore, anna-dāna is presented as among the highest forms of charity and a central expression of dharma and compassion.
Bhishma is instructing (Yudhishthira) on dharma related to gifts and merit. He emphasizes the supreme value of feeding others and supports the point by referring to an earlier authoritative saying associated with the sage Lomasha.