Shloka 3
प्रतिश्रयान् सभा: कूपान् प्रपा: पुष्करिणीस्तथा । नैत्यकानि च सर्वाणि किमिच्छकमतीव च,श्रीमहेश्वरने कहा--देवि! जो मनुष्य ब्राह्मणोंका सम्मान और दान करता है दीन, दुःखी और दरिद्र आदि मनुष्योंको भक्ष्य-भोज्य, अन्न-पान और वस्त्र प्रदान करता है, ठहरनेके स्थान, धर्मशाला, कुआँ, प्याऊ, पोखरी या बावड़ी आदि बनवाता है, लेनेवाले लोगोंकी इच्छा पूछ-पूछकर नित्य देनेयोग्य वस्तुएँ दान करता है, समस्त नित्य कर्मोंका अनुष्ठान करता है, आसन, शय्या, सवारी, गृह, रत्न, धन, धान्य, गौ, खेत और कन्याओंका प्रसन्नतापूर्वक दान करता है, देवि! ऐसा मनुष्य देवलोकमें जन्म लेता है
pratiśrayān sabhāḥ kūpān prapāḥ puṣkariṇīs tathā | naityakāni ca sarvāṇi kim-icchakam atīva ca ||
Śrī Maheśvara said: “O Devī, (one should provide) shelters and assembly-halls, wells, public water-stations, and ponds/tanks; and likewise all daily (customary) gifts—given especially after asking what the recipient truly desires.”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma includes sustained, practical generosity: create and support public amenities (shelters, halls, wells, water-stations, tanks) and give regularly, ideally by first asking what the recipient actually needs—so charity becomes both compassionate and effective.
Maheśvara addresses Devī, listing forms of meritorious giving and public benefaction. The instruction situates dāna not only as personal almsgiving but also as building shared infrastructure that relieves hardship for many.