Shloka 48
The Episode of Vena: Purification, the ‘Vāsudevābhidhā’ Hymn, and the Dharma of Charity
Times, Tīrthas, Worthy Recipients
प्रसादसुमुखो भूत्वा दया मे यदि वर्त्तते । श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । दानकालं प्रवक्ष्यामि नित्यं नैमित्तिकं नृप
prasādasumukho bhūtvā dayā me yadi varttate | śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca | dānakālaṃ pravakṣyāmi nityaṃ naimittikaṃ nṛpa
જો તારા હૃદયમાં દયા રહે અને મુખ પ્રસન્ન હોય, તો—શ્રીકૃષ્ણે કહ્યું—“હે નૃપ! હું દાનકાળ કહું છું—નિત્ય અને નૈમિત્તિક બંને.”
Śrī Kṛṣṇa
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रसादसुमुखो = प्रसादसुमुखः (visarga before voiced consonant); श्रीकृष्ण उवाच (no sandhi across danda); दानकालं = दानकालम्
FAQs
Nitya dāna is regular, daily giving as a disciplined practice; naimittika dāna is giving tied to a specific occasion or religious cause (a “nimitta”), such as rites, vows, or particular sacred days.
It frames dāna as an ethical act rooted in dayā (compassion), not merely a ritual obligation—suggesting the inner disposition is essential for dharmic giving.
A ruler (and anyone in authority) should cultivate graciousness and compassion, and then practice charity with discernment—knowing appropriate times and contexts for giving.