Shloka 9
धन-यज्ञ-दानविवेकः
Wealth, Sacrifice, and Disciplined Giving
अनरहहते यद् ददाति न ददाति यदर्हते । अह्निहपिरिज्ञानाद दानधर्मो5पि दुष्कर:,“बहुधा मनुष्य अनधिकारीको धन दे देता है और योग्य अधिकारीको नहीं देता। योग्य- अयोग्य पात्रकी पहचान न होनेसे (भ्रूणहत्याके समान दोष लगता है, अतः) दानधर्म भी दुष्कर ही है
anarhate yad dadāti na dadāti yadarhate | ajñānāt pātriparijñānād dānadharmo 'pi duṣkaraḥ ||
Devastāna disse: “Muitas vezes o homem dá a quem é indigno e deixa de dar a quem é digno. Por ignorância em reconhecer o destinatário correto, até o dever da caridade se torna difícil—pois dar de modo errado pode acarretar culpa moral em vez de mérito.”
देवस्थान उवाच
Educational Q&A
Charity is not merely the act of giving; it requires discernment about the recipient. Giving to the unworthy and neglecting the worthy can undermine the moral purpose of dāna, so right judgment (pātra-parīkṣā) is essential for ethical giving.
In the Shānti Parva’s ethical instruction, Devastāna reflects on practical difficulties in living dharma. Here he highlights a common human error—misidentifying who deserves support—showing why even a praised virtue like charity can become morally complex.