Shloka 11
एकां च दशगुर्दद्याद् दश दद्याच्च गोशती । शतं सहस्गुर्दद्यात् सर्वे तुल्यफला हि ते
ekāṃ ca daśagur dadyād daśa dadyāc ca gośatī | śataṃ sahasragur dadyāt sarve tulyaphalā hi te ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Celui qui possède dix vaches doit en donner une en aumône ; celui qui en possède cent doit en donner dix ; et celui qui en possède mille doit en donner cent. Car tous ces dons portent un fruit égal, le mérite étant mesuré par le don proportionné aux moyens de chacun.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Charity should be proportionate to one’s resources; when a person gives according to capacity, the spiritual merit is considered equal in essence, because the ethical value lies in fair sacrifice rather than sheer quantity.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma teaches standards for dāna by giving a practical rule using cow-gifts: different owners give different amounts, yet all attain comparable fruit when the gift matches their means.