Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 396
नहुषोपाख्यानम्—दीपदान-धूप-बलीकर्म-प्रशंसा
Nahūṣa Episode and the Commendation of Lamp-Gifting and Household Offerings
दिव्यं चक्षुरवाप्नोति प्रेत्य दीपस्प दायक: । इसलिये गृहस्थोंको सायंकालमें अवश्य दीपदान करने चाहिये। दीपदान करनेवाला पुरुष परलोकमें दिव्य नेत्र प्राप्त करता है
divyaṃ cakṣur avāpnoti pretya dīpasya dāyakaḥ | tasmād gṛhasthair sāyaṃkāle 'vaśyaṃ dīpadānaṃ kartavyam | dīpadānaṃ karoti yaḥ sa paraloke divya-netraṃ prāpnoti |
Bhīṣma said: “One who gives the gift of a lamp attains divine sight after death. Therefore householders should certainly offer a lamp in the evening. The giver of a lamp gains celestial vision in the world beyond.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the merit of dīpadāna (offering a lamp): giving light is a dharmic act especially recommended for householders, and it is said to yield the fruit of divine vision in the afterlife.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma continues instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and meritorious gifts (dāna). Here he highlights lamp-giving as an evening duty for householders and states its spiritual reward.