Shloka 3
अनुशासनपर्व अध्याय ९३ — तपस्, सदोपवास, विघसाशन, अतिथिप्रियता
Austerity, regulated fasting, residual-eating, and hospitality
देवता: पूजयन्तीह दैवेनैवेह तेजसा । उपेत्य तस्माद् देवेभ्य: सर्वेभ्यो दापयेन्नर:
bhīṣma uvāca | devatāḥ pūjayantīha daivenaiveha tejasā | upetya tasmād devebhyaḥ sarvebhyo dāpayen naraḥ ||
Bhishma said: Here in this world, the gods themselves honor the Brahmanas by the very power of their divine ordinance and radiance. Therefore, a man should approach all Brahmanas and give them gifts, dedicating that giving to all the gods—so that his charity becomes an act of reverence aligned with dharma.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Giving (dāna) to Brahmanas is presented as a dharmic act that also serves the gods; since the gods themselves honor Brahmanas through divine potency, humans should likewise approach Brahmanas and give, dedicating the gift to the deities.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anushasana Parva), he explains the religious-ethical rationale for charity: honoring and supporting Brahmanas through gifts is aligned with divine order and functions as devotion toward all gods.