Shloka 12

Strī-dharma: Śiva’s Inquiry, Umā’s Consultation, and Gaṅgā’s Instruction

Devanagari script

तिलपात्रे फलं प्राह भगवान्‌ पाकशासन: । गोप्रदानं च यः कुर्याद्‌ भूमिदानं च शाश्वतम्‌

Transliteration

tilapātre phalaṁ prāha bhagavān pākaśāsanaḥ | gopradānaṁ ca yaḥ kuryād bhūmidānaṁ ca śāśvatam |

Translation

Dijo Lomaśa: «El Bienaventurado Pākaśāsana (Indra) declaró el fruto de donar un recipiente lleno de sésamo. Quien de continuo hace el don de vacas y el perdurable don de tierras—tal mérito, también los dioses lo reconocen como propio de la ofrenda de un recipiente de sésamo.»

Word by Word

• {'tilapātra': 'a vessel/bowl containing sesame seeds

• a ritual gift (dāna) associated with merit', 'phala': 'fruit

• spiritual merit accrued from an act', 'prāha': 'said

• declared', 'bhagavān': 'the revered one

• an honorific for a deity', 'pākaśāsana': '‘chastiser of Pāka’

• epithet of Indra', 'gopradāna': 'gift of cows

• charitable donation of cattle', 'bhūmidāna': 'gift of land

• donation of land/property', 'yaḥ kuryāt': 'whoever would do

• who performs', 'śāśvatam': 'everlasting

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• Indra (Pākaśāsana)
• tilapātra (sesame-vessel)
• go-dāna (gift of cows)
• bhūmi-dāna (gift of land)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that sincere charity (dāna), even in a modest form like gifting a sesame-filled vessel, can carry merit comparable to major gifts such as cows and land. It emphasizes accessibility of dharma: ethical giving is not limited to the wealthy, and intention plus prescribed generosity is honored by the gods.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lomaśa recounts a statement attributed to Indra (Pākaśāsana) about the spiritual ‘fruit’ of a particular donation. The passage functions as didactic instruction within Anuśāsana Parva’s broader discourse on gifts, vows, and righteous conduct.