Shloka 39
Adhyāya 60: Dāna vs. Yajña—Royal Giving, Protection, and Karmic Share
“नरेन्द्र! जो मनुष्य ब्राह्मणोंको फ़ूलोंकी माला, धूप, चन्दन, उबटन, नहानेके लिये जल और पुष्प दान करता है, वह संसारमें नीरोग और सुन्दर रूपवाला होता है ।। बीजैरशून्यं शयनैरुपेतं दद्याद् गृहं यः पुरुषो द्विजाय । पुण्याभिरामं बहुरत्नपूर्ण लभत्यधिष्ठानवरं स राजन्
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
narendra! yo manuṣyo brāhmaṇebhyaḥ phūlānāṃ mālāṃ dhūpaṃ candanaṃ ubṭanaṃ snānāya jalaṃ puṣpaṃ ca dānaṃ karoti, sa loke nīrogaḥ sundararūpavān bhavati ||
bījair aśūnyaṃ śayanair upetaṃ dadyād gṛhaṃ yaḥ puruṣo dvijāya |
puṇyābhirāmaṃ bahuratnapūrṇaṃ labhaty adhiṣṭhānavaraṃ sa rājan ||
Disse Vaiśampāyana: “Ó rei! O homem que dá aos brâmanes guirlandas de flores, incenso, sândalo, unguentos perfumados, água para o banho e flores torna-se, neste mundo, livre de doença e dotado de bela aparência. E, ó rei, aquele que oferece a um duas-vezes-nascido uma morada—bem provida de grãos-semente e equipada com leitos—obtém em retorno uma excelente habitação, agradável pelo mérito e repleta de muitas joias.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches dāna-dharma: giving auspicious, life-supporting, and purity-associated items to Brahmins—such as garlands, incense, sandalwood, unguents, bathing water, flowers, and even a well-provisioned dwelling—yields tangible and elevated results: health, pleasing appearance, and the attainment of a superior, merit-born ‘abode’ rich in prosperity.
Vaiśampāyana continues a didactic discourse addressed to a king, enumerating specific forms of charitable gifts and stating their karmic fruits. The focus is not on battlefield events but on ethical instruction within the Anuśāsana Parva’s broader teaching on dharma and the rewards of generosity.