Shloka 173

Go-dāna-phala-nirdeśa

Merit and Destinations from the Gift of Cows

Devanagari script

कामयाना महत्स्थानं तस्माद्‌ दानात्‌ परं दम: | दान करते समय यदि क्रोध आ जाय तो वह दानके फलको नष्ट कर देता है; इसलिये उस क्रोधको दबानेवाला जो दमनामक गुण है

Transliteration

kāmayānā mahatsvānaṁ tasmād dānāt paraṁ damaḥ |

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯେ ମହାନ୍ ଓ ଉଚ୍ଚ ସ୍ଥାନକୁ ଆକାଂକ୍ଷା କରେ, ତାହା ପାଇଁ ଦାନଠାରୁ ‘ଦମ’ (ଆତ୍ମସଂଯମ) ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ। ଦାନ କରୁଥିବା ସମୟରେ ଯଦି କ୍ରୋଧ ଉଦ୍ଭବ ହୁଏ, ସେ ଦାନର ଫଳକୁ ନଷ୍ଟ କରିଦିଏ; ତେଣୁ କ୍ରୋଧନିଗ୍ରହ ଓ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟନିୟମରୂପ ‘ଦମ’ ଦାନଠାରୁ ଉଚ୍ଚ ମନାଯାଏ। ହେ ମହାରାଜ, ନରେଶ୍ୱର! ଋଷିମାନଙ୍କ ସ୍ୱର୍ଗଲୋକରେ ଅସଂଖ୍ୟ ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ ଓ ଅଦୃଶ୍ୟ ସ୍ଥାନ ଅଛି; ଦମ ପାଳନ ଦ୍ୱାରା ହିଁ ମହର୍ଷି ଓ ଦେବମାନେ ଉଚ୍ଚ ଲୋକକୁ ଆକାଂକ୍ଷା କରି ଏହି ଲୋକ ଛାଡ଼ି ସେଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କରନ୍ତି। ଏହିପରି ‘ଦମ’ ଦାନଠାରୁ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ବୋଲି ଘୋଷିତ।

Word by Word

• कामयाना: desiring
• कामयाना: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामय (धातु, णिच्; कामयति)
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• महत्-स्थानम्: a great abode/place
• महत्-स्थानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् + स्थान
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• तस्मात्: from that; therefore
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, ablative, singular

• दानात्: from/than giving (charity)
• दानात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान
• Form: neuter, ablative, singular

• परम्: superior
• परम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• दमः: self-control; restraint
• दमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• ṛṣis
• svarga (heaven)
• devas
• maharloka / higher worlds (implied by 'mahat-sthāna' and 'mahān loka')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Self-restraint (dama)—especially the checking of anger and the governance of the senses—is superior to charity, because anger arising during an act of giving can nullify the merit of that gift.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is instructing the king on dharma, ranking virtues: he explains why dama surpasses dāna and supports it by pointing to the attainment of higher, subtle heavenly stations by ṛṣis and devas through the practice of self-restraint.