Shloka 8
Gopradāna-phalasaṃprāpti: Nāciketa’s Vision of Vaivasvata’s Realms (गोप्रदानफलसम्प्राप्तिः — नाचिकेतोपाख्यानम्)
अन्ने दत्ते नरेणेह प्राणा दत्ता भवन्त्युत
anne datte nareṇeha prāṇā dattā bhavanty uta |
Bhīṣma dit : «En ce monde, lorsqu’un homme donne de la nourriture, c’est comme s’il donnait la vie elle-même ; car il n’est point de don plus grand que le don de la vie. Ô toi aux bras puissants, tu as assurément entendu, à ce sujet, la parole du sage Lomaśa.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Giving food is equated with giving life, because food sustains the prāṇas (vital forces). Therefore, anna-dāna is presented as among the highest forms of charity and a central expression of dharma and compassion.
Bhishma is instructing (Yudhishthira) on dharma related to gifts and merit. He emphasizes the supreme value of feeding others and supports the point by referring to an earlier authoritative saying associated with the sage Lomasha.