Shloka 10
Nṛga-upākhyāna: Brāhmaṇa-sva and the Consequence of Misappropriated Gift-Cattle (कृकलास-रूपे नृगोपाख्यानम्)
महर्षे: कश्यपस्यैते गात्रेभ्य: प्रसृतास्तिला: । ततो दिव्यं गता भावं प्रदानेषु तिला: प्रभो
maharṣeḥ kaśyapasyaite gātrebhyaḥ prasṛtās tilāḥ | tato divyaṃ gatā bhāvaṃ pradāneṣu tilāḥ prabho ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Ô seigneur, on dit que ces graines de sésame ont jailli et se sont répandues des membres du grand sage Kaśyapa. C’est pourquoi, pour l’acte de charité, le sésame a revêtu un caractère divin.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse grounds the religious and ethical value of giving sesame (tila-dāna) in a sacred origin story: because tila is linked to the body of the sage Kaśyapa, it is regarded as inherently auspicious and thus especially fit for charitable donation.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma (especially gifts and rites), he explains to his listener that sesame seeds are considered divine for donations because tradition holds they emerged from the limbs of the great sage Kaśyapa.