Adhyaya 74

Chapter 74 (PP.6.74) praises dharma as the root of artha, kāma, and mokṣa, and explains tapas (austerity) through the lens of the guṇas: sāttvika tapas uplifts and purifies, while rājasic and tāmasic austerities bind one to passion, cruelty, and the pursuit of worldly results. The teaching then turns to a firm vindication of gṛhastha-dharma. For one who restrains the senses, the home itself becomes a “forest” of discipline, and householders are acclaimed as the foremost āśrama because they sustain ascetics through food-giving, hospitality, and care. Charity (dāna) is urged at auspicious times after worship and daily rites, with a warning not to offer wealth gained by unrighteous means. In conclusion, the chapter contrasts the fate of sinful conduct with the purifying power of giving, presenting properly sourced and properly offered dāna as a chief means to prosperity, heaven, and ultimately the Vaiṣṇava abode.