Shloka 56
इदं दान॑ न््यायलब्धं द्विजेभ्य: पात्रे दत्त्वा प्रापयेथा: परीक्ष्य । त्वय्याशंसन्त्यमरा मानवाश्नर वयं चापि प्रसृते पुण्यशीले,“तुम न््यायके अनुसार गोधन प्राप्त करके पात्रकी परीक्षा करनेके पश्चात् श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणोंको उनका दान कर देना और दी हुई वस्तुको ब्राह्मणके घर पहुँचा देना। तुम पुण्यात्मा और पुण्यकार्यमें प्रवृत्त रहनेवाले हो; अतः देवता, मनुष्य तथा हमलोग तुमसे धर्मकी ही आशा रखते हैं'
idaṁ dānaṁ nyāya-labdhaṁ dvijebhyaḥ pātre dattvā prāpayethāḥ parīkṣya | tvayy āśaṁsanty amarā mānavāś ca nara vayaṁ cāpi prasṛte puṇya-śīle ||
Naciketas said: “Acquire this gift in a rightful manner, then—after examining who is a worthy recipient—give it to the twice-born (brahmins), and ensure that what has been given is actually delivered to the brahmin’s home. You are of virtuous character and steadfast in meritorious action; therefore the gods, human beings, and we as well look to you for dharma alone.”
नाचिकेत उवाच
Educational Q&A
Charity must be grounded in dharma: wealth used for giving should be acquired by rightful means, the recipient’s worthiness should be examined, and the giver should ensure the gift truly reaches the intended brahmin—so that the act becomes ethically complete, not merely symbolic.
Naciketas addresses the listener with practical guidance on proper donation: obtain the gift lawfully, test the fitness of the recipient, give to worthy brahmins, and see that the donated item is delivered. He adds that gods, humans, and the speaker’s group place their expectation of dharma upon the addressee because of his virtuous, merit-oriented conduct.