Shloka 28
कपिल–स्यूमरश्मि संवादः
Kapila and Syūmaraśmi on Renunciation, Householder Support, and Epistemic Authority
तपोभिर्यज्ञदानैश्व वाक्यै: प्रज्ञाश्रितिस्तथा । प्राप्रोत्यभयदानस्य यद् यत् फलमिहाश्लुते
tapobhir yajñadānaiś ca vākyaiḥ prajñāśrītis tathā | prāpnoty abhayadānasya yad yat phalam ihāśnute ||
Tulādhāra said: Whatever fruits a person gains in this world through austerities, sacrifices, gifts, and through words of instruction grounded in wisdom—those very fruits are obtained simply by the gift of fearlessness.
तुलाधार उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that abhayadāna—actively giving others safety and freedom from fear—can yield the same spiritual and ethical merit as austerity, sacrifice, charity, and wisdom-based instruction. It elevates protection and non-harm as a supreme form of dharma.
In the Śānti Parva’s discourse on dharma, Tulādhāra speaks as a moral teacher, comparing different sources of religious merit. He asserts that the benefits people seek through tapas, yajña, dāna, and wise counsel are all encompassed by the single practice of granting fearlessness—i.e., ensuring others are not threatened, harmed, or made anxious.