एकस्य जीवितं दद्यान्न तु तुल्यं युधिष्टिर

यो दद्यात्काञ्चनं मेरुं कृत्स्नां चैव वसुन्धराम्।

एकस्य जीवितं दद्यान्न तु तुल्यं युधिष्टिर॥

महाभारते

yo dadyātkāñcanaṁ meruṁ kṛtsnāṁ caiva vasundharām|

ekasya jīvitaṁ dadyānna tu tulyaṁ yudhiṣṭira||

mahābhārate

Oh Yudhisstira,

A person may gift to another whole mountains of gold, gold of the size of Mahameru mountain

A person may gift the entire earth, huge expanse of lands as gift for the enjoyment of others

However, if a person is good enough to ensure the protection of life of another, to provide the means of happy livelihood for another, that gift would be superior to the gift of gold or land or anything material.

This comes by way of advise of Bheeshma to Yudhistira, in Mahabharatham.

युधिष्टिर oh Yudhistira यः a person मेरुं काञ्चनं gold of the size of Meru mountain itself दद्यात् may give as gift कृत्स्नां comple, entire, whole वसुन्धरां earth च एव दद्यात् too may give परन्तु however यदि if एकस्य जीवितं the life, the means of liveligood दद्यात् give तद that न एव not indeed तुल्यं भवति becomes equal