Shloka 72
दानफलप्रकरणम् — उपानहदानं, तिलदानं, भूमिदानं, गोदानं, अन्नदानं च
Gifts and Their Stated Results: Footwear, Sesame, Land, Cows, and Food
ओषधीर्वीर्यसम्पन्ना नगान् पुष्पफलान्वितान् । काननोपलशैलांश्व ददाति वसुधां ददत्,पृथ्वीका दान करते समय मनुष्य शक्तिशाली ओषधियों, फल और फूलोंसे भरे हुए वृक्षों, वन, प्रस्तर और पर्वतोंका भी दान कर देता है
oṣadhīr vīryasampannā nagān puṣpaphalānvitān | kānanopalśailāṃś ca dadāti vasudhāṃ dadat ||
Bhishma said: “When a person gives the gift of land, he is understood to be giving along with it the potent medicinal herbs, the trees laden with flowers and fruits, the forests, the rocks, and the mountains as well.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The gift of land (vasudhā-dāna) is comprehensive: it includes not only the ground but also the herbs, fruit-bearing trees, forests, stones, and mountains connected with it. Therefore it is a major act of charity with broad ethical and social significance.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dāna-dharma (the duty and principles of giving), he explains the scope of ‘giving land’ by listing the natural resources and features that are implicitly transferred along with the land.