Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 10
Strī-dharma: Śiva’s Inquiry, Umā’s Consultation, and Gaṅgā’s Instruction
कल्यमुत्थाय यो मर्त्य: स्नात: शुक्लेन वाससा । तिलपात्र प्रयच्छेत ब्राह्मणेभ्य: समाहित:
kalyam utthāya yo martyaḥ snātaḥ śuklena vāsasā | tilapātraṃ prayacchet brāhmaṇebhyaḥ samāhitaḥ ||
Lomaśa dit : «Le mortel qui se lève à l’aube, se baigne, revêt des vêtements blancs et purs, et, l’esprit recueilli, offre aux brahmanes un récipient rempli de graines de sésame—celui-là accomplit une aumône réglée, conforme au dharma, particulièrement liée aux rites pour les ancêtres.»
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that charity (dāna) becomes especially dharmic and fruitful when performed with bodily purity (bathing, clean white clothing) and mental focus (samāhita), and when offered respectfully to worthy recipients (Brahmins), here using sesame as a ritually significant gift.
Logaśa describes a prescribed morning observance: rising at dawn, bathing, dressing in clean white cloth, and giving a sesame-filled vessel to Brahmins with a concentrated mind, as part of a broader discussion on meritorious acts and their results.