Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 10
Dharma-ākhyāna (Discourse on Dharma): Worthy Charity, Fruitless Gifts, and the Merit of Building Ponds
पाककर्तुः परस्यार्थे कवये गदहारिणे । अभक्ष्य भक्षकस्यापि दत्तं भवति निष्फलम् ॥ ११ ॥
pākakartuḥ parasyārthe kavaye gadahāriṇe | abhakṣya bhakṣakasyāpi dattaṃ bhavati niṣphalam || 11 ||
La ofrenda queda sin fruto cuando se da a quien cocina para provecho ajeno, a un poeta mercenario, a un rufián que porta garrote, o incluso a quien come lo prohibido.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
FAQs
It teaches dāna-śuddhi: charity bears spiritual merit only when offered to a worthy recipient with righteous conduct; giving to unethical or impure recipients becomes niṣphala (fruitless).
Bhakti is expressed through sattvic living—offerings and gifts aligned with dharma. A devotee’s giving should support virtue and purity, not flattery, violence, or forbidden habits.
It reflects Dharma-śāstric application (often supported by Kalpa: rules of conduct and ritual propriety): selecting qualified recipients and avoiding gifts that violate purity norms.