Shloka 12
नामास्या: प्रियदत्तेति गुहां देव्या: सनातनम् | दानं वाप्यथवा5<दानं नामास्या: प्रथमं प्रियम्,इस पृथ्वी देवीका सनातन गोपनीय नाम 'प्रियदत्ता” है। इसका दान अथवा ग्रहण दोनों ही दाता और प्रतिग्रहीताको प्रिय हैं; इसीलिये इसका यह प्रथम नाम सबको प्रिय है
nāmāsyāḥ priyadatteti guhāṃ devyāḥ sanātanam | dānaṃ vāpy athavā ’dānaṃ nāmāsyāḥ prathamaṃ priyam ||
Bhīṣma said: “This goddess (the Earth) has a secret, eternal name: ‘Priyadattā’—‘the Beloved Gift.’ Whether one gives her away (as land) or receives her, the act is dear to both giver and recipient; therefore this is her first and most cherished name.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the Earth as a sacred ‘beloved gift’ and highlights the ethical weight of dāna, especially land-giving: giving (and the social act of receiving) is portrayed as inherently valued, implying that rightful transfer and generosity are central to dharma.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira in the Anuśāsana Parva, he explains traditional names and sanctity associated with the Earth, emphasizing her hidden, ancient name ‘Priyadattā’ and connecting it to the cultural-religious importance of gifting or receiving land.