Shloka 12
दानेन भोगी भवति मेधावी वृद्धसेवया । अहिंसया च दीर्घायुरिति प्राहुमनीषिण:
dānena bhogī bhavati medhāvī vṛddhasevayā | ahiṃsayā ca dīrghāyur iti prāhur manīṣiṇaḥ ||
Bhīṣma disse: “Os sábios declaram que, pela dádiva, o homem obtém os meios do gozo; pelo serviço aos anciãos, torna-se verdadeiramente inteligente; e pela prática da não-violência, alcança longa vida.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links three ethical disciplines with their fruits: charity brings material well-being and enjoyments, serving elders cultivates intelligence and good judgment, and non-violence supports longevity. It presents dharma as practically beneficial as well as morally right.
In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. Here he cites the consensus of the wise (manīṣiṇaḥ) to summarize how key virtues—dāna, vṛddha-sevā, and ahiṃsā—shape a person’s life and character.