Shloka 1
Tilā-Dāna, Dīpa-Dāna, and Nitya-Jalapradāna
Yama–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda) | तिलदान-दीपदान-नित्यजलप्रदान (यम-ब्राह्मण संवाद
अप्-४-#क+ चतु:षष्टितमो< ध्याय: विभिन्न नक्षत्रोंके योगमें भिन्न-भिन्न वस्तुओंके दानका माहात्म्य युधिछिर उवाच श्रुतं मे भवतो वाक्यमन्नदानस्य यो विधि: । नक्षत्रयोगस्येदानीं दानकल्पं ब्रवीहि मे
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca— śrutaṃ me bhavato vākyam annadānasya yo vidhiḥ | nakṣatrayogasya idānīṃ dānakalpaṃ bravīhi me ||
Yudhiṣṭhira thưa: “Con đã nghe lời chỉ dạy của Người—phép tắc bố thí thực phẩm. Nay xin Người giảng cho con quy tắc bố thí tùy theo các sự phối hợp của các nakṣatra (nakṣatra-yoga): khi gặp một nakṣatra-yoga nhất định thì nên đem những vật gì bố thí là thù thắng nhất?”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames charity as guided by dharma and proper procedure: after learning the rules of food-giving, Yudhiṣṭhira seeks a more detailed, context-sensitive guideline—what to donate when particular nakṣatra-yogas occur—implying that intention and timing/appropriateness both matter in ethical giving.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instructional setting, Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully questions Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha). Having heard the method of annadāna, he now requests a systematic explanation of donations linked to nakṣatra-based occasions.