Shloka 34
Brahmā’s Instruction on Brahmacarya, Vānaprastha, and the Aliṅga Path
Ethics of Non-attachment
परेभ्यो न प्रतिग्राह्मूं न च देयं कदाचन । दैन्यभावाच्च भूतानां संविभज्य सदा बुध:,बुद्धिमान् संन्यासीको चाहिये कि दूसरोंके लिये भिक्षा न माँगे तथा सब प्राणियोंके लिये दयाभावसे संविभागपूर्वक कभी कुछ देनेकी इच्छा भी न करे
parebhyo na pratigrāhyaṃ na ca deyaṃ kadācana | dainyabhāvāc ca bhūtānāṃ saṃvibhajya sadā budhaḥ ||
Vāyu said: “A wise renunciant should neither accept gifts from others nor ever give with the aim of charity. Rather, out of compassion for beings in distress, he should always share and distribute whatever comes to him in a fitting way—without personal desire, display, or attachment.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches disciplined non-attachment for a renunciant: do not cultivate dependence through accepting gifts, and do not cultivate ego or desire through deliberate giving. Instead, maintain compassion by sharing what one has in a simple, need-based way (saṃvibhajya), especially toward beings in distress.
Vāyudeva is instructing on the conduct of a wise ascetic/renunciant. The focus is not on ritual or warfare but on inner discipline—how one should relate to wealth, alms, and charity while remaining compassionate and detached.