Shloka 17
दानफलप्रकरणम् — उपानहदानं, तिलदानं, भूमिदानं, गोदानं, अन्नदानं च
Gifts and Their Stated Results: Footwear, Sesame, Land, Cows, and Food
भूमिं दत्त्वा तु साधुभ्यो विन्दते भूमिमुत्तमाम् । प्रेत्य चेह च धर्मात्मा सम्प्राप्रोति महद् यश:
bhūmiṁ dattvā tu sādhubhyo vindate bhūmim uttamām | pretya ceha ca dharmātmā samprāpnoti mahad yaśaḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: Dengan mendanakan tanah kepada orang-orang saleh, sang dermawan memperoleh tanah yang unggul. Dan orang yang berjiwa dharma itu, baik di dunia ini maupun setelah wafat, meraih kemasyhuran yang agung.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Land-gift (bhūmi-dāna) to worthy, virtuous recipients is praised as a high form of charity: it yields superior well-being (symbolized as 'excellent land') and brings enduring fame in both this life and the next, emphasizing that generosity aligned with dharma produces lasting merit.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira about the fruits of different gifts. Here he highlights the special merit of donating land to good people, linking righteous giving with honor and posthumous benefit.