Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 163
Nakṣatra-yoga-anusāreṇa Dāna-vidhiḥ
Gifts prescribed according to lunar mansions and yogas
गोहिरण्यानि वासांसि तेनेन्द्र: प्रीयतां तव । बेटा! दोपहरके समय जो तुम ब्राह्मणोंको भोजन कराकर उन्हें गौ, सुवर्ण और वस्त्र प्रदान करते हो, इससे तुम्हारे ऊपर इन्द्रदेव प्रसन्न हों
gohiraṇyāṇi vāsāṃsi tenendraḥ prīyatāṃ tava |
ພີດສະມະກ່າວວ່າ: «ລູກເອີຍ, ເມື່ອເຈົ້າເລີ້ຍງອາຫານພຣາຫມັນໃນເວລາທ່ຽງ ແລ້ວມອບຂອງທານເປັນງົວ, ຄໍາ, ແລະເຄື່ອງນຸ່ງຫົ່ມ—ຂໍໃຫ້ພຣະອິນທຣາພໍໃຈໃນເຈົ້າ. ການຕ້ອນຮັບທັນເວລາ ແລະການໃຫ້ທານເຊັ່ນນີ້ ໄດ້ຮັບການສັນລະເສີນວ່າເປັນການກະທໍາທີ່ຄ້ຳຈຸນທຳມະ ແລະນໍາພາພຣະພອນແຫ່ງເທວະດາ.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse commends dāna joined with hospitality: feeding Brahmins at the proper time and then gifting valuable items (cows, gold, garments) is presented as dharmic conduct that generates merit and invites divine approval, here expressed as Indra’s pleasure.
Bhishma, in his instruction on dharma, highlights a specific charitable practice—midday feeding of Brahmins followed by gifts—and frames it as an act that pleases Indra, reinforcing the ethical ideal of timely, respectful generosity.