Shloka 13
Āśrama-dharma and Brahmacarya: Śuka’s Inquiry on Karma and Tyāga (शुक-प्रश्नः कर्मत्यागविवेकश्च)
गृहमावसतो हास्य नान्यत् तीर्थ प्रतिग्रहात् । देवर्षिपितृगुर्वर्थ वृद्धातुरबुभुक्षताम्
gṛham āvasato hāsya nānyat tīrthaṃ pratigrahāt | devarṣi-pitṛ-gurv-arthaṃ vṛddhāturabubhukṣatām ||
ব্যাসে ক’লে—গৃহস্থ ব্রাহ্মণৰ বাবে প্ৰতিগ্ৰহ (দান গ্ৰহণ) ব্যতীত ধন-নিৰ্বাহৰ অন্য কোনো পবিত্ৰ উপায় নাই। এই গ্ৰহণো দেৱতা, ঋষি, পিতৃ আৰু গুৰুৰ সেৱা, আৰু বৃদ্ধ, ৰোগী, ভোকাতুৰ লোকৰ পোষণৰ বাবে হ’ব লাগে; এই কৰ্তব্যৰ বাহিৰে ব্রাহ্মণৰ সম্পদ সঞ্চয়ৰ অন্য কোনো শুদ্ধ পথ নাই।
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
A householder Brahmin may accept gifts (pratigraha) as a legitimate and ‘pure’ means of support, but the ethical purpose is service: sustaining worship and obligations to gods, sages, ancestors, and teachers, and providing food and care to the elderly, sick, and hungry.
In the Shanti Parva’s dharma instruction, Vyāsa states a rule of conduct about livelihood: for a Brahmin living as a householder, accepting donations is presented as the sanctioned route for maintaining resources, specifically oriented toward religious duties and compassionate support of vulnerable people.