Shloka 4
Vasiṣṭha on Saṃsāra, Guṇas, and Misattributed Agency
Mahābhārata 12.292
श्रेष्ठ पुरुषको दिया हुआ दान और श्रेष्ठ पुरुषसे प्राप्त हुआ प्रतिग्रह--इन दोनोंका महत्त्व बराबर है तो भी इन दोनोंमेंसे ब्राह्मणके लिये प्रतिग्रह स्वीकार करनेकी अपेक्षा दान देना अधिक पुण्यमय माना गया है ।।
śreṣṭha-puruṣa-kṛtaṃ dānaṃ śreṣṭha-puruṣāt prāptaḥ pratigrahaś ca—ubhayor api mahattvaṃ samānam; tathāpi brāhmaṇasya pratigraha-grahaṇāt dānaṃ kartum adhikaṃ puṇyam iti manyate. nyāyāgataṃ dhanaṃ caiva nyāyenaiva vivardhitam | saṃrakṣyaṃ yatnam āsthāya dharmārtham iti niścayaḥ ||
ನ್ಯಾಯದಿಂದ ಪಡೆದ ಮತ್ತು ನ್ಯಾಯದಿಂದಲೇ ವೃದ್ಧಿಗೊಂಡ ಧನವನ್ನು ಯತ್ನಪೂರ್ವಕವಾಗಿ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಿಸಬೇಕು—ಅದು ಧರ್ಮಾರ್ಥಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಉಪಯೋಗವಾಗಬೇಕು ಎಂಬ ದೃಢ ನಿಶ್ಚಯದೊಂದಿಗೆ; ಇದೇ ಧರ್ಮಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಗಳ ಸ್ಥಿರ ನಿರ್ಣಯ।
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even if giving and receiving from the virtuous are both weighty, a brāhmaṇa is praised more for giving than for accepting; and wealth should be earned and grown by just means, then carefully preserved and directed toward dharma.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Parāśara speaks as a teacher, laying down ethical guidance about gifts, the propriety of accepting them, and the righteous acquisition and use of wealth.