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 dit : «Même un don minime, lorsqu’il est offert de cette manière, devient d’un grand fruit. Tu as donné nourriture et eau à un hôte assoiffé, avec un cœur exempt d’envie ; ainsi cette aumône modeste engendre un mérite immense. L’enseignement est que la disposition intérieure—absence de jalousie, bienveillance et respect du dharma—amplifie le fruit spirituel du don au-delà de la quantité matérielle offerte.»
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.