Shloka 5
Brahmapūjā-kāraṇa-prśnaḥ and Keśava–Viṣvaksena-stuti
Question on Brahmin veneration; hymn on Kṛṣṇa as cosmic order
धर्मादर्थाद् भयात् कामात् कारुण्यादिति भारत | दानं पञठ्चविध॑ ज्ञेयं कारणैर्यर्निबोध तत्
dharmād arthād bhayāt kāmāt kāruṇyād iti bhārata | dānaṃ pañcavidhaṃ jñeyaṃ kāraṇair yan nibodha tat ||
Bhīṣma said: “O Bhārata, giving (dāna) is to be understood as fivefold—prompted by dharma, by the pursuit of wealth or advantage, by fear, by desire, and by compassion. Learn from me the distinct motives behind these.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma classifies charity by its underlying motive: giving from duty (dharma), from self-interest (artha), from fear (bhaya), from desire (kāma), or from compassion (kāruṇya). The verse frames ethical evaluation of dāna by examining why one gives, not merely what is given.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and conduct. Here he begins a focused teaching on dāna, introducing a fivefold typology of giving based on the donor’s motive, preparing the listener for further explanation of each cause.