Shloka 52
तीर्थवंशोपदेशः
Tīrtha-vaṃśa Upadeśa: Instruction on the Fruits of Sacred Waters
तस्करेभ्य: परेभ्यो वा ये भयार्ता युधिष्ठिर । अर्थिनो भोक्तुमिच्छन्ति तेषु दत्त महाफलम्
taskarebhyaḥ parebhyo vā ye bhayārtā yudhiṣṭhira | arthino bhoktum icchanti teṣu dattaṃ mahāphalam ||
Bhīṣma nói: “Hỡi Yudhiṣṭhira, khi những kẻ cầu xin đến trong nỗi khốn cùng vì sợ hãi—dù sợ trộm cướp hay sợ kẻ thù—và họ chỉ xin được ăn, thì bố thí dành cho họ sẽ sinh công đức lớn.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Giving food to people who arrive in fear and distress—seeking only sustenance—is a highly meritorious act; charity is judged by the recipient’s vulnerability and immediate need.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma to Yudhiṣṭhira, he highlights a specific case of dāna: feeding those who have fled danger from robbers or enemies, emphasizing the exceptional spiritual fruit of such compassionate giving.