Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 12
Nārāyaṇa-tejas: Kṛṣṇa’s Vrata, the Fire-Manifestation, and the Sages’ Inquiry (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय १२६)
इमं च ब्रह्मलोक॑ च लोक॑ च बलवत्तरम् | अन्नदानै: सुकृतिन: प्रतिपद्यन्ति लौकिका:
imaṁ ca brahmalokaṁ ca lokaṁ ca balavattaram | annadānaiḥ sukṛtinaḥ pratipadyanti laukikāḥ |
毗湿摩说道：“以施食之善业，贤德之人得此世与梵天之界（梵天界，Brahmaloka）；不仅如此，他们在世间亦能确立更为强盛、富足的境遇。此教诲表明：安那达那（annadāna，施食、供养众生）并非仅是慈善，而是法（dharma）的根基，既能坚固现世生命，也能引向崇高的灵性归宿。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That annadāna—giving food—is a highly potent dharmic act: it yields tangible well-being and strength in this life and also leads to exalted posthumous attainments such as Brahmaloka. The verse elevates feeding others as a primary form of charity with both ethical and spiritual consequences.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma is teaching about the fruits of charitable acts. Here he specifically praises the merit of giving food, stating that virtuous people attain prosperity in this world and reach Brahmā’s realm through such giving.