Shloka 66

गृहस्थस्य सदाचारः: शौच, तर্পण, वैश्वदेव, अतिथिधर्म, भोजन-विधि, संध्योपासन, ऋतु-धर्मः

Devanagari script

दद्याच् च भिक्षात्रितयं परिव्राड्ब्रह्मचारिणाम् इच्छया च बुधो दद्याद् विभवे सत्य् अवारितम्

Transliteration

dadyāc ca bhikṣātritayaṃ parivrāḍbrahmacāriṇām icchayā ca budho dadyād vibhave saty avāritam

Translation

He should offer three portions of alms to wandering renunciants and to brahmacārins. And the wise person, according to his means, should give freely and without obstruction—gladly, and in harmony with truth.

Word by Word

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Optative, 3rd person singular, Parasmaipada)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• भिक्षात्रितयम्: a set of three alms (three portions)
• भिक्षात्रितयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhikṣā + tritaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• परिव्राड्ब्रह्मचारिणाम्: of wandering ascetics and students
• परिव्राड्ब्रह्मचारिणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parivrājaka/parivrāṭ + brahmacārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (Masculine, Genitive, Plural; dvandva: 'of wandering mendicants and brahmacārins')

• इच्छया: willingly; by choice
• इच्छया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: icchā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• बुधः: a wise man
• बुधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Optative, 3rd person singular, Parasmaipada)

• विभवे: when there is means/wealth; in prosperity
• विभवे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन (Masculine, Locative, Singular)

• सति: being; existing (when ... is present)
• सति: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sat (अस् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचन वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) नपुंसक/पुं-रूपेण; लोके सति-प्रयोगः (locative absolute participle: 'when/while being')

• अवारितम्: unrestricted; without being prevented
• अवारितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vārita (प्रातिपदिक); √vṛ (वृ/वार् धातु 'to restrain') (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) नकार-निषेधपूर्वक, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Past participle-based adjective with negation, Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Charity norms: alms to parivrājaka renunciants and brahmacārins, and giving freely according to means in alignment with truth

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: One should give prescribed alms to renunciants and students, and the wise should give unobstructedly according to capacity, with willing heart and fidelity to truth.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Set a regular practice of giving (food, funds, time) to sincere seekers and those in disciplined learning; give transparently, without manipulation, and within your means.

Vishishtadvaita: Śrī’s auspiciousness is mirrored in the devotee’s unobstructed giving; ethical generosity becomes a mode of loving service to Bhagavan’s embodied dependents.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Vasudeva

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Parivrājaka (wandering renunciant)
• Brahmacārin (Vedic student)

FAQs

What is the significance of giving alms to parivrājakas and brahmacārins in the Vishnu Purana?

It affirms the householder’s role in sustaining the renunciant and student stages, making society’s spiritual pursuit possible through disciplined, respectful charity.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the right way to give (dāna) here?

Giving should be voluntary (icchayā), proportionate to one’s means (vibhave), and done honestly and without withholding (saty avāritam), emphasizing purity of intention and consistency with dharma.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though not named in this verse, the Purana frames dharma—such as truthful, ungrudging charity—as part of the cosmic order upheld by Vishnu, aligning social duty with devotion and universal sovereignty.