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 pageनित्यं परिचरेच्चैव तद्वै सुकृतमुत्तमम्। कीर्तिं पुण्यं यशो लोकान् प्राप्स्यसे राजसत्तम॥
nityaṃ paricareccaiva tadvai sukṛtamuttamam । kīrtiṃ puṇyaṃ yaśo lokān prāpsyase rājasattama ॥
Daily service is praised as an excellent deed that brings merit, renown and higher realms.
शुचित्वं त्यागिता शौर्यं सामान्यं सुखदुःखयोः। दाक्षिण्यं चानुरक्तिश्च सत्यता च सुहृद्गुणाः॥
śucitvaṃ tyāgitā śauryaṃ sāmānyaṃ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ । dākṣiṇyaṃ cānuraktiśca satyatā ca suhṛdguṇāḥ ॥
Purity, generosity, courage, steadiness in joy and sorrow, courtesy, affection, and truthfulness are the qualities of a true friend.
अद्वेष्टा 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.
More subhashitams on Ethics
View topic pageभस्मीकृतस्वार्थसौख्यपरिचर्चितविग्रहाः। स्वराज्ययोगनिर्मग्ना धन्यास्ते वीरयोगिनः॥
bhasmīkṛtasvārthasaukhyaparicarcitavigrahāḥ । svarājyayoganirmagnā dhanyās te vīrayoginaḥ ॥
The verse praises heroic practitioners who renounce personal comforts and devote themselves fully to self-rule.
ज्ञानवांश्च तथा वाग्मी कर्मस्वपि च निष्ठितः। एवं युक्तोऽपि न श्रेयान् यदि शीलविवर्जितः॥
jñānavāṃśca tathā vāgmī karmasvapi ca niṣṭhitaḥ । evaṃ yukto'pi na śreyān yadi śīlavivarjitaḥ ॥
Knowledge, eloquence, and skill in work do not make a person worthy of esteem if good character is absent.
शुचित्वं त्यागिता शौर्यं सामान्यं सुखदुःखयोः। दाक्षिण्यं चानुरक्तिश्च सत्यता च सुहृद्गुणाः॥
śucitvaṃ tyāgitā śauryaṃ sāmānyaṃ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ । dākṣiṇyaṃ cānuraktiśca satyatā ca suhṛdguṇāḥ ॥
Purity, generosity, courage, steadiness in joy and sorrow, courtesy, affection, and truthfulness are the qualities of a true friend.