Shloka 8
दानफलप्रकरणम् — उपानहदानं, तिलदानं, भूमिदानं, गोदानं, अन्नदानं च
Gifts and Their Stated Results: Footwear, Sesame, Land, Cows, and Food
यथा दानं तथा भोग इति थधर्मेषु निश्चय: । संग्रामे वा तनुं जहायाद् दद्याच्च पृथिवीमिमाम्
yathā dānaṃ tathā bhoga iti dharmeṣu niścayaḥ | saṅgrāme vā tanuṃ jahāyād dadyāc ca pṛthivīm imām ||
Bhishma berkata: “Dalam perkara dharma, inilah ketetapan: sebagaimana seseorang memberi, demikian pula ia berhak menikmati. Karena itu, entah di medan perang seseorang harus meninggalkan tubuhnya, atau harus menganugerahkan bumi ini, hendaklah ia bertindak menurut prinsip itu.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a dharmic principle of proportionality: one’s rightful enjoyment (bhoga) should correspond to one’s giving (dāna). Ethical entitlement is grounded in generosity and sacrifice, even to the extent of giving up life in battle or relinquishing sovereignty/land when dharma demands it.
Bhīṣma, in his instruction on dharma in the Anuśāsana Parva, states a firm conclusion about conduct: generosity legitimizes enjoyment, and a righteous person—especially in a kṣatriya context—must be prepared for the highest sacrifices, whether on the battlefield or through great gifts such as the earth/kingdom.