Shloka 18
Tilā-Dāna, Dīpa-Dāna, and Nitya-Jalapradāna
Yama–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda) | तिलदान-दीपदान-नित्यजलप्रदान (यम-ब्राह्मण संवाद
स्वात्यामथ धन दत्त्वा यदिष्टतममात्मन: । प्राप्रोति लोकान् स शुभानिह चैव महद् यश:
Svātyām atha dhanaṃ dattvā yad iṣṭatamam ātmanaḥ | prāpnoti lokān sa śubhān iha caiva mahad yaśaḥ ||
那罗陀说道：在“娑婆底”（Svātī）宿之日，若有人施舍财物，尤其舍去自己最为珍爱的东西，便能得至吉祥之界；并且在此世亦获大名声。
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the highest form of charity is giving what one personally values most, and that such self-transcending generosity—especially when performed on an auspicious occasion like Svātī—brings both spiritual reward (auspicious realms) and ethical-social reward (great renown) in this life.
Nārada is instructing about dharma through the practice of dāna, specifying Svātī nakṣatra as an auspicious time and emphasizing the inner quality of the gift: not merely giving something surplus, but offering what is dearest to oneself, which is said to yield merit and fame.