अध्याय २९७ — श्रेयः, धृति, दान-नियमाः
Welfare, Steadfastness, and Norms of Giving
तात! जो समस्त प्राणियोंको दीपकके समान स्नेहसे संवर्धन करनेयोग्य मानता है और उन्हें स्नेहभरी दृष्टिसे देखता है एवं जो समस्त विषयोंकी ओर कभी दृष्टिपात नहीं करता, वह परलोकमें सम्मानित होता है ।।
tāta! yaḥ samasta-prāṇi-gaṇaṁ dīpaka-sadṛśaṁ snehena saṁvardhanīyaṁ manyate, tān ca snehapūrṇayā dṛṣṭyā paśyati, yaś ca sarva-viṣayān prati kadācit dṛṣṭipātaṁ na karoti, sa paraloke sammānitaḥ bhavati. sāntvenānna-pradānena priya-vādena cāpy uta, sama-duḥkha-sukho bhūtvā sa paratra mahīyate.
Parāśara dijo: «Hijo querido, quien considera a todos los seres vivientes dignos de ser nutridos con afecto—como se cuida una lámpara para que no se apague—y los mira con una mirada amorosa, sin volver jamás los ojos hacia los objetos de los sentidos, es honrado en el mundo de más allá. Y quien consuela a los demás, da alimento al hambriento y habla con palabras amables, rindiendo respeto a todos—manteniéndose ecuánime en la pena y en la dicha—alcanza estima en este mundo y es exaltado en el venidero».
पराशर उवाच
True dharma is expressed through universal compassion and self-restraint: nurture all beings with affectionate care, avoid fixation on sense-objects, comfort others, feed the hungry, speak kindly, and remain even-minded in pleasure and pain—such conduct brings honor in this life and exaltation after death.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous living, the sage Parāśara addresses a listener as “tāta” and summarizes the virtues that lead to esteem: loving regard for all creatures, detachment from sense-enjoyments, charitable giving (especially food), consoling conduct, gentle speech, and equanimity, with the promised fruit of honor in the next world.