Shloka 104
Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha
नचाश्वमेधैर्बहुभि: फलं सममिदं तव । सक्तुप्रस्थेन विजितो ब्रह्मलोकस्त्वयाक्षय:
na cāśvamedhair bahubhiḥ phalaṃ samam idaṃ tava | saktuprasthena vijito brahmalokas tvayākṣayaḥ ||
Wika ng biyenan: “Ang kabutihang natamo mo sa pagbibigay na ito ay hindi matutumbasan kahit pa magsagawa ng maraming handog na Aśvamedha. Sa pag-aalay mo lamang ng isang prastha na sukat ng saktu—inihaw na harinang sebada—napanalunan mo para sa iyong sarili ang di-nasisirang daigdig ni Brahmā. Ipinakikita nito na ang halagang-dharma ng kaloob ay wala sa laki nito, kundi sa katapatan, pangangailangan, at pagpipigil-sa-sarili ng nagbibigay.”
श्षशुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the moral and spiritual value of charity depends primarily on intention, sacrifice, and the giver’s circumstances—not on the external scale of the offering. A modest gift given with genuine self-denial can yield greater merit than grand rituals performed with wealth and display.
A father-in-law addresses the giver and praises the extraordinary fruit of a simple donation—only a prastha of saktu—declaring it superior to the merit of many Aśvamedha sacrifices. He concludes that this act has secured the giver an imperishable attainment, Brahmaloka.