Shloka 75
Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman
Manu’s Instruction
राजाने कहा--ब्रह्मन! क्षत्रियका धर्म तो प्रजाकी रक्षा और युद्ध करना है। क्षत्रियोंको दाता कहा गया है; फिर मैं उलटे ही आपसे दान कैसे ले सकता हूँ? ।। ब्राह्मण उवाच न च्छन्दयामि ते राजन्नापि ते गृहमाव्रजम् । इहागम्य तु याचित्वा न गृह्नीषे पुन: कथम्,ब्राह्मणने कहा--राजन्! दान लेनेके लिये मैंने आपसे अनुरोध या आग्रह नहीं किया था और न मैं देनेके लिये आपके घर ही गया था। आपने स्वयं यहाँ आकर याचना की है; फिर लेनेसे कैसे इनकार करते हैं?
brāhmaṇa uvāca | na cchandayāmi te rājann āpi te gṛham āvrajam | ihāgamya tu yācitvā na gṛhṇīṣe punaḥ katham ||
બ્રાહ્મણે કહ્યું—રાજન! મેં તમને દાન આપવા માટે ન તો આગ્રહ કર્યો હતો, ન દાન લેવા માટે તમારા ઘરે આવ્યો હતો. તમે જાતે અહીં આવીને યાચના કરી છે; તો હવે સ્વીકારવામાં કેમ ઇનકાર કરો છો?
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical consistency in giving and receiving: one should not refuse a rightful exchange after initiating a request. It also underscores dharma in social roles—kings are associated with giving and protection, yet humility and reciprocity can require accepting when one has asked.
A king hesitates to accept or participate in a transaction involving giving/receiving, citing kshatriya norms of being a giver. The Brahmin replies that he did not come soliciting; instead, the king came and requested—so the king should not now decline to accept, as that would contradict his own act of asking.