Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 47
Dharma-ākhyāna (Discourse on Dharma): Worthy Charity, Fruitless Gifts, and the Merit of Building Ponds
कुटुम्बिनं या शास्त्रज्ञं श्रोत्रियं वा गुणान्वितम् । यो दत्त्वा स्यापयेदृतिं तस्य पुण्यफलं श्रृणु ॥ ४८ ॥
kuṭumbinaṃ yā śāstrajñaṃ śrotriyaṃ vā guṇānvitam | yo dattvā syāpayedṛtiṃ tasya puṇyaphalaṃ śrṛṇu || 48 ||
سواء أُعطيَ لربّ أسرة، أو لعارفٍ بالشاسترا، أو لِشروتريا عالمٍ متحلٍّ بالفضائل—فمن أعطى ثم أزال كربةَ الآخذ، فليسمع ثمرةَ البرّ لذلك الفعل.
Nārada (in dialogue framework with Sanatkumāra tradition)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It frames charity (dāna) not merely as transfer of wealth but as dharma when it genuinely removes another’s hardship, especially when offered to qualified and virtuous recipients.
By emphasizing compassionate giving to worthy persons and relieving suffering, it supports bhakti as lived devotion—service (sevā) and kindness aligned with scriptural values.
It highlights the dhārmic criterion of a “śrotriya” (Veda-trained authority of śruti), reflecting the importance of Vedic learning and qualification when selecting recipients for ritual charity.