Shloka 20
Bhūmi-dānasya Māhātmya
The Pre-eminence of Land-Gift
तिलान् ददत पानीयं दीपान् ददत जाग्रत । ज्ञातिभि: सह मोदध्वमेतत् प्रेत्य सुदुर्लभम्
tilān dadat pānīyaṃ dīpān dadat jāgrata | jñātibhiḥ saha modadhvam etat pretya sudurlabham ||
Bhishma said: Give sesame seeds in charity; give drinking water; give lamps. Stay vigilant and awake to your duties. Rejoice together with your kinsmen—such a harmonious opportunity is exceedingly hard to obtain once one has passed from this world.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma urges practical dharma through acts of giving—sesame, water, and lamps—paired with moral vigilance. He also emphasizes valuing life with one’s relatives, since such a chance for shared joy and duty is rare after death.
In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma while lying on the bed of arrows. This verse is part of his counsel on meritorious gifts and right conduct, linking everyday charity and alertness to the fleeting nature of human life.