Shloka 7
Brahmapūjā-kāraṇa-prśnaḥ and Keśava–Viṣvaksena-stuti
Question on Brahmin veneration; hymn on Kṛṣṇa as cosmic order
ददाति वा दास्यति वा महां दत्तमनेन वा | इत्यर्थिभ्यो निशम्यैव सर्व दातव्यमर्थिने
dadāti vā dāsyati vā mahāṁ dattam anena vā | ity arthibhyo niśamyaiva sarvaṁ dātavyam arthine ||
भीष्म उवाच— ‘अयं ददाति’, ‘अयं दास्यति’, ‘अनेन महद्दत्तं मम’ इत्येवं याचकानां वचनं श्रुत्वैव, कीर्तिवृद्धिमभिसन्धाय, यथेष्टं यथायाचितं सर्वं याचकेभ्यो दातव्यम्।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that generosity should be prompt and expansive: even hearing that one is known as a giver should move one to give to supplicants according to their need/desire, cultivating dharma and worthy fame (kīrti).
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (especially dāna-dharma), he describes how a person should respond to petitioners: when their words indicate expectation of one’s generosity, one should fulfill their requests and give liberally.