Shloka 6
Praise of Vṛṣotsarga (Bull-release), Worthy Dāna, and the Procedure for Kṣayāha & Ūrdhva-daihika Rites
नापात्रे विदुषा किञ्चिदात्मनः श्रेय इच्छता / अपात्रे जातु गौर्दत्ता दातारं नरकं नयेत्
nāpātre viduṣā kiñcidātmanaḥ śreya icchatā / apātre jātu gaurdattā dātāraṃ narakaṃ nayet
Orang bijaksana yang menginginkan kebaikan tertinggi bagi dirinya tidak patut memberikan apa-apa kepada penerima yang tidak layak. Sesungguhnya, jika seekor lembu diberikan kepada yang tidak layak, hal itu boleh menyeret si penderma ke neraka.
Lord Vishnu
Afterlife Stage: Naraka
Concept: Pātra-śuddhi is essential: giving to the unworthy (apātra) harms the donor’s śreyas; go-dāna misgiven can lead to naraka.
Vedantic Theme: Karma’s moral texture: intention is not sufficient; right discernment (viveka) about recipient and context preserves dharmic merit.
Application: Before donating, assess recipient’s conduct/need/eligibility; avoid enabling adharma; treat high-sacral gifts (cow, land, food in rites) with stricter scrutiny.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: dāna-setting (gift-giving context)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.14 context: pātra/apātra dāna consequences; later naraka descriptions often tied to adharma and misdeeds
FAQs
This verse states that charity brings true spiritual benefit only when given to a worthy recipient; giving to the unworthy can invert the merit and become a cause of suffering.
By linking improper gifting to naraka, the verse frames charity as karmically consequential—actions done without discernment can shape post-death outcomes described in the Preta Kanda.
Give with discernment: support ethical, genuinely needy, and dharmic causes or persons; avoid donations that enable harm, deceit, or exploitation, especially in high-value gifts.