Shloka 11
Go-dāna-phala-nirdeśa
Merit and Destinations from the Gift of Cows
दमस्य तु फलं राजन् शृणु त्वं विस्तरेण मे । दान्ता: सर्वत्र सुखिनो दान्ता: सर्वत्र निर्वुता:
damasya tu phalaṁ rājan śṛṇu tvaṁ vistareṇa me | dāntāḥ sarvatra sukhino dāntāḥ sarvatra nirvṛtāḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai raja, dengarlah daripadaku dengan terperinci akan buah dama—pengendalian indera. Mereka yang menaklukkan pancaindera berbahagia di mana-mana; mereka yang berdisiplin tetap tenang dan puas dalam segala keadaan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that dama—discipline and restraint of the senses—yields a stable happiness and contentment that does not depend on external conditions; the self-controlled person remains peaceful everywhere.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma addresses King Yudhiṣṭhira and begins explaining, in detail, the benefits (phala) of self-restraint as part of dharma-guidance for righteous rule and personal conduct.