Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 173
Go-dāna-phala-nirdeśa
Merit and Destinations from the Gift of Cows
कामयाना महत्स्थानं तस्माद् दानात् परं दम: | दान करते समय यदि क्रोध आ जाय तो वह दानके फलको नष्ट कर देता है; इसलिये उस क्रोधको दबानेवाला जो दमनामक गुण है
kāmayānā mahatsvānaṁ tasmād dānāt paraṁ damaḥ |
毗湿摩言：凡渴求广大尊胜之境者，自制（dama）甚至胜于布施。若施与之时嗔怒生起，便毁坏其施之果；故名为 dama 之德——能抑嗔恚、摄御诸根——被视为高于施舍。大王，人中之主：在诸仙之天界，有无量微妙隐而不见之住处；由守持 dama，大仙乃至诸天，欲求最上世界者，皆由此世而往，得至彼处。是故宣说：‘dama’胜于‘dāna’。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Self-restraint (dama)—especially the checking of anger and the governance of the senses—is superior to charity, because anger arising during an act of giving can nullify the merit of that gift.
Bhīṣma is instructing the king on dharma, ranking virtues: he explains why dama surpasses dāna and supports it by pointing to the attainment of higher, subtle heavenly stations by ṛṣis and devas through the practice of self-restraint.