Shloka 13
Āśrama-dharma and Brahmacarya: Śuka’s Inquiry on Karma and Tyāga (शुक-प्रश्नः कर्मत्यागविवेकश्च)
गृहमावसतो हास्य नान्यत् तीर्थ प्रतिग्रहात् । देवर्षिपितृगुर्वर्थ वृद्धातुरबुभुक्षताम्
gṛham āvasato hāsya nānyat tīrthaṃ pratigrahāt | devarṣi-pitṛ-gurv-arthaṃ vṛddhāturabubhukṣatām ||
Vyāsa berkata: “Bagi seorang Brahmana yang menjalani hidup berumah tangga, tiada sarana suci lain untuk menopang harta selain menerima pemberian (pratigraha). Penerimaan itu hendaknya dilakukan demi pelayanan kepada para dewa, resi, leluhur, dan guru—serta untuk menanggung hidup orang tua, orang sakit, dan mereka yang lapar. Di luar penerimaan untuk tugas-tugas ini, tidak ada jalan murni lain bagi Brahmana untuk menghimpun sumber daya.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
A householder Brahmin may accept gifts (pratigraha) as a legitimate and ‘pure’ means of support, but the ethical purpose is service: sustaining worship and obligations to gods, sages, ancestors, and teachers, and providing food and care to the elderly, sick, and hungry.
In the Shanti Parva’s dharma instruction, Vyāsa states a rule of conduct about livelihood: for a Brahmin living as a householder, accepting donations is presented as the sanctioned route for maintaining resources, specifically oriented toward religious duties and compassionate support of vulnerable people.