दानफलप्रकरणम् — उपानहदानं, तिलदानं, भूमिदानं, गोदानं, अन्नदानं च
Gifts and Their Stated Results: Footwear, Sesame, Land, Cows, and Food
ददाति य: समुद्रान्तां पृथिवीं शस्त्रनिर्जिताम् । त॑ जना: कथयन्तीह यावद् भवति गौरियम्
dadāti yaḥ samudrāntāṃ pṛthivīṃ śastra-nirjitām | taṃ janāḥ kathayantīha yāvad bhavati gaur iyam ||
ภีษมะกล่าวว่า ผู้ใดมอบแผ่นดินอันมีมหาสมุทรเป็นขอบเขต ซึ่งตนชนะมาด้วยอานุภาพแห่งศัสตรา ชนทั้งหลายในโลกนี้จะเล่าขานสรรเสริญเกียรติของเขาตราบเท่าที่แผ่นดินนี้ยังดำรงอยู่
भीष्म उवाच
The verse teaches that the highest form of generosity—giving away even a hard-won kingdom—creates lasting merit and an enduring reputation. Ethical greatness is measured not only by conquest or power, but by the capacity to relinquish what one possesses for a higher dharmic ideal.
In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs on dharma, especially gifts and righteous conduct. Here he praises the extraordinary donor-king who, after conquering the earth by arms, gives it away; such a deed becomes a story people keep retelling for as long as the world lasts.