Shloka 52
तीर्थवंशोपदेशः
Tīrtha-vaṃśa Upadeśa: Instruction on the Fruits of Sacred Waters
तस्करेभ्य: परेभ्यो वा ये भयार्ता युधिष्ठिर । अर्थिनो भोक्तुमिच्छन्ति तेषु दत्त महाफलम्
taskarebhyaḥ parebhyo vā ye bhayārtā yudhiṣṭhira | arthino bhoktum icchanti teṣu dattaṃ mahāphalam ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Ô Yudhiṣṭhira, lorsque des suppliants viennent accablés par la peur—qu’elle vienne des voleurs ou des ennemis—et qu’ils ne demandent qu’à manger, le don fait à de tels êtres procure un grand mérite.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Giving food to people who arrive in fear and distress—seeking only sustenance—is a highly meritorious act; charity is judged by the recipient’s vulnerability and immediate need.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma to Yudhiṣṭhira, he highlights a specific case of dāna: feeding those who have fled danger from robbers or enemies, emphasizing the exceptional spiritual fruit of such compassionate giving.