Shloka 12
Śāṇḍilī–Sumanā-saṃvāda: Sat-strī-samudācāra and Pati-dharma
Conduct of the Virtuous Wife
अल्पो5पि तादृशो दायो भवत्युत महाफल: । तृषिताय च ते दत्त हृदयेनानसूयता
alpo 'pi tādṛśo dāyo bhavaty uta mahāphalaḥ | tṛṣitāya ca te dattaṃ hṛdayenān asūyatā ||
Vyāsa dijo: «Incluso un don pequeño, cuando se ofrece de ese modo, se vuelve de gran fruto. Diste comida y agua a un huésped sediento con un corazón libre de envidia; por eso, esa caridad modesta produce un mérito inmenso. La enseñanza es que la disposición interior—no celos, buena voluntad y respeto al dharma—engrandece el resultado espiritual del dar más allá de la cantidad material entregada.»
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The fruit of charity depends primarily on the giver’s intention and purity of heart. Even a small offering becomes highly meritorious when given according to dharma—especially to one in need—without envy, resentment, or ulterior motive.
Vyāsa addresses a listener and affirms that the listener’s act of giving food and water to a thirsty guest, done sincerely and without jealousy, is a dharmic deed whose reward is great despite the smallness of the material gift.