Mahabharata 3.201.3 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 201, Shloka 3
Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)
गार्हस्थ्ये5प्यथवा बाल्ये यौवने स्थविरे5पि वा । यथा फलं समश्नाति तथा त्वं कथयस्व मे,“मनुष्य बाल्यावस्था या गृहस्थाश्रममें, जवानीमें अथवा बुढ़ापेमें दान देनेसे जैसा फल पाता है, उसका मुझसे वर्णन कीजिये”
gārhasthye ’py athavā bālye yauvane sthavire ’pi vā | yathā phalaṃ samaśnāti tathā tvaṃ kathayasva me ||
இல்லற நிலையிலோ, பால்யத்திலோ, யௌவனத்திலோ, முதுமையிலோ—மனிதன் தானத்தின் பலனை எவ்வாறு அனுபவிக்கிறானோ, அதையே எனக்குச் சொல்வாயாக; அதன் உண்மையான விளைவைக் கூறுவாயாக।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical inquiry into karma-phala: the fruits of charity (dāna) are to be understood in relation to one’s life-stage—childhood, youth, householder life, and old age—highlighting that dharmic acts are evaluated with attention to context and capacity.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a question is posed requesting an explanation of how the results of giving are experienced when performed at different ages and within the householder condition, setting up a discussion on dāna and its fruits.
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