Shloka 14
धन-यज्ञ-दानविवेकः
Wealth, Sacrifice, and Disciplined Giving
हरिश्नन्द्र: पार्थिवेन्द्र: श्रुतस्ते यज्ञैरिष्टवा पुण्यभाग् वीतशोक: । ऋद्धया शक्रं योडजयन्मानुष: सं- स्तस्माद् यज्ञे सर्वमेवोपयोज्यम्
Hariścandraḥ pārthivendraḥ śrutas te yajñair iṣṭvā puṇyabhāg vītaśokaḥ | ṛddhyā śakraṃ yo ’jayān mānuṣaḥ sa tasmād yajñe sarvam evopayojyam ||
Tu as entendu parler du roi Hariścandra, seigneur de la terre. Bien qu’humain, il surpassa même Śakra (Indra) par la puissance de sa prospérité ; et, en accomplissant de nombreux sacrifices, il devint participant d’un grand mérite et fut délivré du chagrin. C’est pourquoi il faut vouer toute sa richesse au sacrifice, en mettant toutes ses ressources au service de l’offrande juste et du devoir selon le dharma.
देवस्थान उवाच
Educational Q&A
Wealth and prosperity find their highest ethical use when dedicated to dharmic purposes—here exemplified as yajña—because such giving and right action yield puṇya and inner freedom from sorrow.
Devastāna cites the exemplary king Hariścandra: though merely human, he is said to have outshone Indra through his prosperity and, by performing many sacrifices, attained merit and sorrowlessness; this is used to argue that one should commit one’s resources fully to sacrificial/dharmic acts.