Shloka 6
Karma-Phala Rahasya and the Ethics of Dāna (कर्मफल-रहस्यं दानधर्मश्च)
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत अनुशासनपर्वके अन्तर्गत दानधर्मपर्वमें दैव और पुरुषार्थका निर्देशविषयक छठा अध्याय पूरा हुआ,चक्षुर्दद्यान्मनो दद्याद् वाचं दद्याच्च सूनृताम् । अनुव्रजेदुपासीत स यज्ञ: पञ्चदक्षिण: अतः मनुष्यको उचित है कि यदि कोई अतिथि घरपर आ जाय तो उसको प्रसन्न दृष्टिसे देखे। उसकी सेवामें मन लगावे। मीठी बोली बोलकर उसे संतुष्ट करे। जब वह जाने लगे तो उसके पीछे-पीछे कुछ दूरतक जाय और जबतक वह रहे उसके स्वागत-सत्कारमें लगा रहे >-ये पाँच काम करना गृहस्थके लिये पाँच प्रकारकी दक्षिणाओंसे युक्त यज्ञ कहलाता है
cakṣur dadyān mano dadyād vācaṃ dadyāc ca sūnṛtām | anuvrajed upāsīta sa yajñaḥ pañca-dakṣiṇaḥ ||
Bhishma said: “One should give the guest a gracious look, give one’s mind in attentive service, and give gentle, truthful speech. One should also accompany the guest a little way when he departs and remain devoted to honoring him while he stays. These five acts, performed by a householder, are a sacrifice endowed with five ‘fees’ (dakṣiṇās)—a daily yajña of hospitality and ethical conduct.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Hospitality is itself a sacred duty: a householder should honor a guest through five offerings—kindly sight, attentive mind, gentle-truthful speech, respectful service, and accompanying the guest on departure—making daily conduct equivalent to a yajña with five dakṣiṇās.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction on dāna and right conduct, Bhishma teaches norms of household ethics, framing the reception and honoring of a guest as a ritual-like sacrifice performed through everyday behavior.