Shloka 3
दानफलप्रकरणम् — उपानहदानं, तिलदानं, भूमिदानं, गोदानं, अन्नदानं च
Gifts and Their Stated Results: Footwear, Sesame, Land, Cows, and Food
भीष्मजीने कहा--बेटा! सब दानोंसे बढ़कर पृथ्वीदान बताया गया है। पृथ्वी अचल और अक्षय है। वह इस लोकमें समस्त उत्तम भोगोंको देनेवाली है ।।
bhīṣma uvāca—dogdhrī vāsāṃsi ratnāni paśūn vrīhi-yavāṃs tathā | bhūmidaḥ sarvabhūteṣu śāśvatīr edhate samāḥ ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Anak, sa lahat ng pagbibigay, ang pagbibigay ng lupa ang itinuturing na higit sa lahat. Ang lupa ay di-nagagalaw at di-nauubos; sa mundong ito, ito ang nagbibigay ng lahat ng pinakamainam na ginhawa. Ang lupa ay tulad ng bakang ginagatasan: nagbubunga ng kasuotan, hiyas, mga alagang hayop, at mga butil gaya ng bigas at sebada. Kaya ang nagbibigay ng lupa ay laging umuunlad sa gitna ng lahat ng nilalang, nagkakamit ng pangmatagalang kagalingan na walang kapantay.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Land-gift (bhūmi-dāna) is praised as supremely beneficial because the earth is the enduring source that generates all necessities—food, wealth, and livelihood—so donating it is seen as producing lasting merit and prosperity.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on gifts and dharma, Bhishma teaches the listener (Yudhiṣṭhira in context) by describing the earth as a generous provider and concluding that the donor of land attains continual flourishing among all beings.