Shloka 55
Śrāddha-Kalpa: Pitṛ-Pūjā and Tithi-Phala (श्राद्धकल्पः पितृपूजा च तिथिफलम्)
सुवर्णमेव सर्वासु दक्षिणासु विधीयते । सुवर्ण ये प्रयच्छन्ति सर्वदास्ते भवन्त्युत
suvarṇam eva sarvāsu dakṣiṇāsu vidhīyate | suvarṇaṃ ye prayacchanti sarvadāste bhavanty uta ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Parmi toutes les formes de dakṣiṇā (dons sacrificiels), l’or est tout particulièrement prescrit. Ceux qui donnent de l’or deviennent, en vérité, des donateurs perpétuels—établis à jamais dans le mérite et l’élan du don.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Gold is presented as a foremost and widely sanctioned form of dakṣiṇā; giving it cultivates a lasting identity as a giver, implying enduring merit and a stable ethical habit of generosity.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues advising on dāna and proper gifts; here he highlights suvarṇa (gold) as a particularly prescribed dakṣiṇā and praises those who give it as constant benefactors.