अन्नदान-प्रशंसा (Praise of the Gift of Food) | Annadāna-Praśaṃsā
यथान्निहोत्रं सुहुतं सायंप्रातर्द्धिजातिना । तथा दत्तं द्विजातिभ्यो भवत्यथ यतात्मसु
yathānnihotraṃ suhutaṃ sāyaṃ prātar dvijātinā | tathā dattaṃ dvijātibhyo bhavaty atha yatātmasu ||
Bhīṣma dit : De même que l’Agnihotra, offert selon le rite par un « deux-fois-né » (dvija) le soir et à l’aube, donne la récompense qui lui est due, de même le don fait aux dvijas—lorsqu’ils sont maîtres d’eux-mêmes—engendre un mérite égal.
भीष्म उवाच
Proper charity (dāna) given to worthy, self-controlled twice-born recipients can yield merit comparable to the merit of correctly performed daily Agnihotra sacrifices; ethical giving is presented as a powerful dharmic act.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anushasana Parva), he explains to his listener that the spiritual fruit of ritual sacrifice is matched by the fruit of giving—provided the recipients are disciplined and the act aligns with dharmic standards.