Shloka 48
देवतापितृप्रश्नः — Nārada at Badarīāśrama: the ultimate referent of daiva and pitṛ worship
परत्र येन जीव्यते तदेव पुत्र दीयताम् | धनं यदक्षरं ध्रुवं समर्जयस्व तत् स्वयम्,बेटा! जिससे परलोकमें भी जीवन-निर्वाह हो सकता है तथा जो अविनाशी और अटल धन है, उसीका दान करो एवं उसीका स्वयं भी उपार्जन करते रहो
paratra yena jīvyate tadeva putra dīyatām | dhanaṁ yad akṣaraṁ dhruvaṁ samarjayāsva tat svayam |
Vyāsa berkata: “Wahai anakku, berikanlah hanya apa yang dengannya seseorang benar-benar dapat menyara diri di alam sana. Dan tentang kekayaan—carilah untuk dirimu sendiri yang tidak binasa dan teguh, dan teruslah mengumpulkannya.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Give what supports one’s welfare beyond this life—acts and gifts aligned with dharma—and strive to earn the ‘imperishable, steadfast wealth’: enduring merit and spiritual virtue rather than perishable material gain.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Vyāsa addresses a ‘son’ (a disciple-like addressee) and counsels him on proper giving and proper acquisition: prioritize charity and effort directed toward lasting, otherworldly benefit.