Shloka 81
Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman
Manu’s Instruction
राजोवाच यदि विप्र विसृष्टं ते जप्पस्थ फलमुत्तमम् | आवयोर्यत् फलं किज्चित् सहितं नौ तदस्त्विह
rājovāca yadi vipra visṛṣṭaṃ te japastha phalam uttamam | āvayor yat phalaṃ kiñcit sahitaṃ nau tad astv iha ||
Le roi dit : «Ô brāhmane, si tu m’as réellement accordé le fruit suprême de ton japa, qu’il en soit ainsi ici : quel que soit le mérite qui échoie à l’un ou à l’autre de nous, qu’il soit mis en commun, et que nous en jouissions tous deux ensemble—ayant un droit égal sur ce résultat partagé.»
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical ideal of reciprocity and shared responsibility: spiritual merit (the fruit of japa) is not treated as a private possession alone, but as something that can be consciously shared, creating equality in enjoyment of results and mutual participation in dharmic outcomes.
In a dialogue between a king and a brāhmaṇa, the king responds to the brāhmaṇa’s act of giving away the ‘supreme fruit’ of his japa. The king proposes that henceforth whatever merit either of them gains should be combined, so both may partake together with equal right.