अभयस्यैव यो दाता तस्यैव सुमहत्फलम् । न हि प्राणसमं दानं त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते ॥
abhayasyaiva yo dātā tasyaiva sumahatphalam । na hi prāṇasamaṃ dānaṃ triṣu lokeṣu vidyate ॥
Meaning of Abhayasyaiva Yo Dātā Tasyaiva
Whoever takes away people's fear receives great blessings, and in all three worlds, there is no greater gift than saving a life.
Word by word
- अभयस्य एवabhayasyaiva
of fearlessness itself
अभय + एव
Sandhi: अभयस्य + एव = अभयस्यैव।
- यःyaḥ
whoever
यद्
- दाताdātā
giver
दातृ; √दा
- तस्य एवtasyaiva
for that person alone
तद् + एव
Sandhi: तस्य + एव = तस्यैव।
- सुमहत् फलम्sumahat phalam
a very great fruit or reward
सु + महत्; फल
- न हिna hi
for there is not, indeed not
- प्राणसमम्prāṇasamam
equal to life
प्राण + सम
- दानम्dānam
gift, donation
√दा
- त्रिषु लोकेषुtriṣu lokeṣu
in the three worlds
त्रि; लोक
- विद्यतेvidyate
exists, is found
√विद्
Commentary
The verse places abhaya, freedom from fear, among the highest things one person can offer another. Its central figure is the dātā, the giver, but the gift here is not merely an object: it is the condition in which another being need not fear for life or safety. The emphatic eva links this act with a very great fruit, sumahat phalam. The second line then gives the reason in sweeping terms: across the three worlds, no donation equals prāṇa, life itself. Together, the two lines present protection as an ethical form of giving whose value lies in preserving another's most basic good. The supplied meaning expresses this teaching as removing people's fear and saving a life. That is a natural modern application of the verse's paired ideas of abhaya and prāṇa, though the Sanskrit literally speaks of giving fearlessness and of a gift equal to life. The statement invites a broad but demanding reflection on service: material help matters, yet creating safety for someone who is vulnerable may be more fundamental. Its praise is directed not toward power over others, but toward using one's capacity so that another can live without fear.
Original Post
More from Mahabharata
View source pageअद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च। निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी॥
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca । nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī ॥
The Bhagavad Gita describes a character free from hatred and ego, friendly to all beings and steady in joy and sorrow.
स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः। स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु॥
sve sve karmaṇyabhirataḥ saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ । svakarmanirataḥ siddhiṁ yathā vindati tacchṛṇu ॥
The Bhagavad Gita teaches that devotion to one's own work is a path to perfection.
उद्यमः साहसं धैर्यं बुद्धिः शक्तिः पराक्रमः। षडेते यत्र वर्तन्ते तत्र दैवं सहायकृत्॥
udyamaḥ sāhasaṃ dhairyaṃ buddhiḥ śaktiḥ parākramaḥ । ṣaḍete yatra vartante tatra daivaṃ sahāyakṛt ॥
Effort, courage, patience, intelligence, strength, and valor prepare a person to receive the help of providence.
More subhashitams on Ethics
View topic pageअनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्। स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते॥
anudvegakaraṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ priyahitaṁ ca yat । svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva vāṅmayaṁ tapa ucyate ॥
The Bhagavad Gita describes truthful, pleasant, beneficial, and non-agitating words, together with regular study, as austerity of speech.
स्वाधीनैव समृद्धिर्जनोपजीव्यत्वमुच्छ्रयश्छाया। सत्पुंसो मरुभूरिव जीवनमात्रं समाशास्यम्॥
svādhīnaiva samṛddhir janopajīvyatvam ucchrayaś chāyā । satpuṃso marubhūr iva jīvanamātraṁ samāśāsyam ॥
For a good person, as for a tree standing in the desert, self-reliant abundance, support for others, height and shade come naturally, so only that life itself need be wished for.
सद्भिरेव सहासीत सद्भिः कुर्वीत सङ्गतिम्। सद्भिर्विवादं मैत्रीं च नासद्भिः किञ्चिदाचरेत्॥
sadbhir eva sahāsīta sadbhiḥ kurvīta saṅgatim । sadbhir vivādaṃ maitrīṃ ca nāsadbhiḥ kiṃcid ācaret ॥
A Garuda Purana verse counsels living, conversing and forming friendships with people of good character.