Shloka 37
Dialogue of Father and Son (Pitṛputra-saṃvāda) — Mohinī Episode
त्रैलोक्यस्यापि दानेन न शुद्ध्येत ऋणात्सुतः । किं पुनर्देहवित्ताभ्यां केशदानादिभिर्विभो ॥ ३७ ॥
trailokyasyāpi dānena na śuddhyeta ṛṇātsutaḥ | kiṃ punardehavittābhyāṃ keśadānādibhirvibho || 37 ||
Walaupun dengan menghadiahkan kekayaan tiga alam, seorang anak yang lahir dalam hutang tidak akan menjadi suci daripada hutang itu—apalagi, wahai Tuhan, hanya dengan persembahan tubuh atau harta, seperti mendermakan rambut dan seumpamanya.
Narada (teaching within a Dharma/Tirtha-oriented discourse)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
The verse stresses that deep moral obligations—especially debt and its karmic burden—are not erased by outward charity or symbolic austerities; true purification requires responsible discharge of obligations and righteous conduct.
By downplaying merely external acts (like hair-donation), it implicitly prioritizes inner integrity and dharmic responsibility—qualities that make devotion sincere rather than transactional.
It points to Dharma-śāstra style reasoning: ritual substitutions (minor gifts or bodily offerings) cannot override binding obligations like ṛṇa; practical conduct and ethical duty are treated as foundational to religious life.