Shloka 5
अन्नदान-प्रशंसा (Praise of the Gift of Food) | Annadāna-Praśaṃsā
भीष्मजीने कहा--युधिष्ठिर! सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंकों अभयदान देना
bhīṣma uvāca—yudhiṣṭhira! sarva-prāṇibhyo ’bhaya-dānaṃ, saṅkaṭa-kāle teṣāṃ prati anugrahaḥ, yācakāya iṣṭa-vastu-pradānaṃ, tṛṣārtaṃ jalaṃ yācamānaṃ pāyayituṃ ca—etad uttamaṃ dānam. yat tu dattvā dattam eva manyeta, yatra kvacid api mamatā-gandho na tiṣṭhet, tad dānaṃ śreṣṭham ucyate. bharata-śreṣṭha! tad eva dānaṃ dātāram anusarati. hiraṇya-dānaṃ go-dānaṃ pṛthivī-dānam eva ca—etāni vai pavitrāṇi, tārayanty api duṣkṛtam.
ビーシュマは言った。「ユディシュティラよ、最上の布施とは、あらゆる生きものに無畏を与えること—苦難の時に憐れみを垂れ、乞う者にその望むものを与え、渇きに責められて水を求める者に水を施すことである。さらに、与え終えたのち『すでに完全に与え尽くした』と見なされ、どこにも所有への執着の香りすら残さぬ布施こそ、真に勝れた布施と呼ばれる。バーラタ族の最勝者よ、そのような布施は施主に従い続ける。また、黄金の施し、牛の施し、土地の施し—この三つは清めの布施であり、悪をなした者でさえ（悪業の）結果を越えさせうる。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The highest charity is compassionate protection and relief—especially granting fearlessness, helping in crisis, fulfilling a worthy request, and giving water to the thirsty. A gift becomes ‘supreme’ when it is given without any lingering possessiveness; such giving spiritually accompanies and elevates the giver. Traditional major purifying gifts include gold, cows, and land.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma continues advising King Yudhishthira about the ethics of giving. He ranks forms of dāna, emphasizes inner renunciation (absence of mamatā) as the mark of superior charity, and then names three classical, highly meritorious gifts—gold, cows, and land.