Shloka 95
Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman
Manu’s Instruction
ते चोज्छवृत्तये राजन् मया समपवर्जिते । यथाविधि यथाश्रद्धं तदस्याहं पुन: प्रभो
te cocchavṛttaye rājan mayā samapavarjite | yathāvidhi yathāśraddhaṃ tadasyāhaṃ punaḥ prabho ||
Virūpa said: “O King, I had duly set those (cows) apart and given them to a Brahmin who lived by the ucchavṛtti way of life. I made the gift in accordance with proper rite and with full faith. Now, O lord, I wish to restore to him once again the very fruit of that cow-gift—so that the merit gained may return to him.”
विरूप उवाच
Educational Q&A
Merit (puṇya) from charity is grounded in right procedure (yathāvidhi) and sincere faith (yathāśraddham), and the ethical focus is on supporting austere, deserving recipients—here, a Brahmin living by ucchavṛtti—rather than on personal gain.
Virūpa recounts that he performed a purificatory meritorious act by gifting (godāna) properly and faithfully to an austere Brahmin, and he expresses the intention that the fruit of that donation should be returned/assigned back to the recipient—emphasizing the transfer and direction of merit.