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In the Uttarapurana of the Mahapuraana, it is said that in the Malaya country, the king Megha-ratha resided in the city of Bhadraila. His minister was Satyakiriti. || 64 || One day, while seated on his throne in the assembly hall, the king Megha-ratha, desiring to give charity for the sake of Dharma, asked the assembled people || 65 || "Which of all the charities, when given, yields the greatest fruit?" In response, the minister, who knew the essence of charity, said || 66 || "The best of the Munis have declared that there are three kinds of charity: Shastra-dana (gift of scripture), Abhaya-dana (gift of fearlessness), and Anna-dana (gift of food). These charities yield the greatest fruit for the wise, i.e., Abhaya-dana yields more fruit than Anna-dana, and Shastra-dana yields more fruit than Abhaya-dana. || 67 || That which is spoken by the omniscient, free from contradictions, etc., and which removes the sins of violence, etc., and is supported by both direct and indirect evidence, is called Shastra. || 68 || To explain the aforementioned Shastra for the benefit of virtuous people who are afraid of the cycle of birth and death is called Shastra-dana. || 69 || The Muni who desires liberation and knows the nature of the principles, renounces the harming of living beings, out of a desire to abandon the causes of bondage. This is called Abhaya-dana. || 70 || For the wise, who are free from the faults of violence, etc., the giving of pure food, for the protection of the body and other external means, is called Anna-dana. || 71 || By giving and receiving these initial and final charities, both the giver and the receiver experience the destruction of karma and the accumulation of auspicious karma. By giving Abhaya-dana, only the giver experiences these two fruits. || 72 || There is no charity greater than knowledge, and knowledge cannot exist without Shastra. Indeed, Shastra is the supreme means of illuminating the principles of what is to be abandoned and what is to be adopted. || 73 || To explain Shastra properly, to listen to it, and to contemplate it is the cause of pure intellect. When one has pure intellect, the liberated soul abandons what is harmful and adopts what is beneficial, becomes a devotee, takes refuge in the path of liberation, gradually pacifies the senses and mind, and finally, taking refuge in pure meditation, attains the imperishable state of liberation. || 74-75 || Therefore, of all charities, Shastra-dana is the best. It is free from sinful actions and is the cause of attaining liberation, which is the state of one's own bliss, for both the giver and the receiver. || 76 || Abhaya-dana is superior to Anna-dana, because the latter involves a little initial sin. By these three great charities, one attains the supreme state. || 77 ||