Shloka 55
ब॒हस्पतिर्वाच सुवर्णदानं गोदानं भूमिदानं च वृत्रहन् (विद्यादानं च कन्यानां दानं पापहरं परम् ।) दददेतान् महाप्राज्ञ: सर्वपापै: प्रमुच्यते,बृहस्पतिने कहा--वृत्रासुरका वध करनेवाले इन्द्र! सुवर्णदान, गोदान, भूमिदान, विद्यादान और कन्यादान--ये अत्यन्त पापहारी माने गये हैं। जो परम बुद्धिमान् पुरुष इन सब वस्तुओंका दान करता है वह समस्त पापोंसे मुक्त हो जाता है
bṛhaspatir uvāca suvarṇadānaṁ godānaṁ bhūmidānaṁ ca vṛtrahan (vidyādānaṁ ca kanyānāṁ dānaṁ pāpaharaṁ param) dadad etān mahāprājñaḥ sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate
Bṛhaspati said: “O slayer of Vṛtra (Indra), the gifts of gold, cows, and land—and also the gift of knowledge and the giving of maidens in marriage—are regarded as supremely sin-destroying. The truly wise person who gives these gifts is released from all sins.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that certain forms of dāna—gold, cows, land, knowledge, and kanyādāna—are considered exceptionally powerful for moral purification, and that a wise giver is said to be freed from sins through such generosity.
Within Bhīṣma’s discourse on dharma, a statement attributed to Bṛhaspati is cited, addressed to Indra (called Vṛtrahan), listing major meritorious gifts and asserting their sin-destroying efficacy.