Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 12
Nārāyaṇa-tejas: Kṛṣṇa’s Vrata, the Fire-Manifestation, and the Sages’ Inquiry (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय १२६)
इमं च ब्रह्मलोक॑ च लोक॑ च बलवत्तरम् | अन्नदानै: सुकृतिन: प्रतिपद्यन्ति लौकिका:
imaṁ ca brahmalokaṁ ca lokaṁ ca balavattaram | annadānaiḥ sukṛtinaḥ pratipadyanti laukikāḥ |
Wika ni Bhishma: “Sa mabuting gawa ng pagbibigay ng pagkain, ang mga taong may kabutihang-asal ay nakakamit kapwa ang mundong ito at ang daigdig ni Brahmā (Brahmaloka)—at tunay na nakapagtitiyak sila ng katayuang makapangyarihan at masagana sa daigdig. Ang aral: ang annadāna (pagpapakain sa kapwa) ay hindi lamang kawanggawa, kundi saligan ng dharma na nagpapalakas ng buhay dito at umaakay sa marangal na hantungan ng espiritu.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That annadāna—giving food—is a highly potent dharmic act: it yields tangible well-being and strength in this life and also leads to exalted posthumous attainments such as Brahmaloka. The verse elevates feeding others as a primary form of charity with both ethical and spiritual consequences.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma is teaching about the fruits of charitable acts. Here he specifically praises the merit of giving food, stating that virtuous people attain prosperity in this world and reach Brahmā’s realm through such giving.