Shloka 12
Nārāyaṇa-tejas: Kṛṣṇa’s Vrata, the Fire-Manifestation, and the Sages’ Inquiry (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय १२६)
इमं च ब्रह्मलोक॑ च लोक॑ च बलवत्तरम् | अन्नदानै: सुकृतिन: प्रतिपद्यन्ति लौकिका:
imaṁ ca brahmalokaṁ ca lokaṁ ca balavattaram | annadānaiḥ sukṛtinaḥ pratipadyanti laukikāḥ |
Bhishma dijo: «Por el acto meritorio de dar alimento, los virtuosos alcanzan tanto este mundo como el mundo de Brahmā (Brahmaloka); más aún, aseguran una condición terrenal todavía más poderosa y próspera. La enseñanza es que el annadāna (alimentar a otros) no es mera caridad, sino un fundamento del dharma que fortalece la vida aquí y conduce a destinos espirituales excelsos.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That annadāna—giving food—is a highly potent dharmic act: it yields tangible well-being and strength in this life and also leads to exalted posthumous attainments such as Brahmaloka. The verse elevates feeding others as a primary form of charity with both ethical and spiritual consequences.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma is teaching about the fruits of charitable acts. Here he specifically praises the merit of giving food, stating that virtuous people attain prosperity in this world and reach Brahmā’s realm through such giving.