Shloka 15
Nṛga-upākhyāna: Brāhmaṇa-sva and the Consequence of Misappropriated Gift-Cattle (कृकलास-रूपे नृगोपाख्यानम्)
अतः तिलदान सब दानोंसे बढ़कर है। तिलदान यहाँ सब दानोंमें अक्षय फल देनेवाला बताया जाता है ।।
ucchinne tu purā havye kuśikarṣiḥ parantapaḥ | tilair agni-trayaṁ hutvā prāptavān gatim uttamām ||
Bhīṣma dit : «C’est pourquoi le don de sésame l’emporte sur tous les dons ; ici, on enseigne qu’il confère un fruit “impérissable”. Jadis, lorsque le havis (l’oblation sacrificielle) vint à manquer, le sage royal Kuśika, ascète d’un ardent effort, offrit des graines de sésame dans les trois feux sacrés et les rassasia. Par cet acte, il atteignit l’état suprême. Telle est la leçon : le tiladāna et les offrandes de sésame, accomplis avec une intention conforme au dharma, sont d’une efficacité exceptionnelle et engendrent un mérite durable, ‘inépuisable’.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Sesame (tila) used in donation and fire-offering is praised as especially potent: even when standard oblations are unavailable, a sincere dharmic offering of tila can sustain ritual duty and yield enduring spiritual merit, culminating in ‘uttamā gati’ (the highest attainment).
Bhishma cites an ancient precedent: when the sacrificial havis was depleted, the royal sage Kuśika performed the required offerings using sesame seeds into the three sacred fires, satisfied them, and as a result attained the supreme state—supporting Bhishma’s praise of tiladāna and tila-offerings.