Shloka 4
छत्रोपानहदानफलप्रशंसा — Praise of the Merit of Donating Umbrella and Footwear
भीष्म उवाच शृणु राजन्नवहितश्छत्रोपानहविस्तरम् । यथैतत् प्रथितं लोके यथा चैतत् प्रवर्तितम्
bhīṣma uvāca śṛṇu rājann avahitaś chatropānahavistaram | yathaitat prathitaṃ loke yathā caitat pravartitam ||
Sinabi ni Bhīṣma: “Makinig kang mabuti, O Hari, habang isinasalaysay ko nang masinsinan ang tungkol sa payong at sapin sa paa. Dinggin mo kung paano ito naging tanyag sa daigdig, at kung paanong ang kaugaliang maghandog ng mga ito ay unang sinimulan at saka kumalat.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma frames a dharma-teaching on dāna by highlighting that even practical items like an umbrella and footwear can be ethically significant gifts; he will explain their origin and how their donation became an established, meritorious social practice.
Bhishma addresses the king and introduces a detailed account about the umbrella and footwear—specifically, how these objects and their gifting became famous in the world and how the custom of donating them began and spread.