Bhūmi-dānasya Māhātmya
The Pre-eminence of Land-Gift
एवमेतत् तडागस्य कीर्तितं फलमुत्तमम् । अत ऊर्ध्व॑ प्रवक्ष्यामि वृक्षाणामवरोपणम्,इस प्रकार यह मैंने तालाब बनवानेके उत्तम फलका वर्णन किया है। इसके बाद वृक्ष लगानेका माहात्म्य बतलाऊँगा
evam etat taḍāgasya kīrtitaṁ phalam uttamam | ata ūrdhvaṁ pravakṣyāmi vṛkṣāṇām avaropaṇam ||
Bhishma said: Thus I have described the supreme merit that comes from constructing a pond. Now, going further, I shall explain the virtuous significance of planting trees.
भीष्म उवाच
Acts that sustain life for many—such as building ponds and planting trees—are praised as high dharma, yielding exceptional merit because they serve the community and future generations.
Bhīṣma concludes his account of the spiritual and ethical rewards of constructing a pond and transitions to the next topic: the greatness of planting trees.