Shloka 7
Brahmapūjā-kāraṇa-prśnaḥ and Keśava–Viṣvaksena-stuti
Question on Brahmin veneration; hymn on Kṛṣṇa as cosmic order
ददाति वा दास्यति वा महां दत्तमनेन वा | इत्यर्थिभ्यो निशम्यैव सर्व दातव्यमर्थिने
dadāti vā dāsyati vā mahāṁ dattam anena vā | ity arthibhyo niśamyaiva sarvaṁ dātavyam arthine ||
Bhishma berkata: Begitu hanya mendengar dari para pemohon kata-kata seperti, “Ia memberi,” “Ia akan memberi,” atau “Ia telah memberiku anugerah besar,” maka demi menambah kemasyhuran nama baik, hendaknya seseorang memberi kepada tiap peminta apa pun yang dimintanya, sesuai keinginannya.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that generosity should be prompt and expansive: even hearing that one is known as a giver should move one to give to supplicants according to their need/desire, cultivating dharma and worthy fame (kīrti).
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (especially dāna-dharma), he describes how a person should respond to petitioners: when their words indicate expectation of one’s generosity, one should fulfill their requests and give liberally.