Shloka 53
The Glory of Charity: Land-Gifts, Śālagrāma Donation, and Food–Water as Supreme Gifts
परलोके द्विजव्याघ्र साधुसंयमवर्जिते । निर्दये बंधुहीने च न दत्तं नोपतिष्ठते
paraloke dvijavyāghra sādhusaṃyamavarjite | nirdaye baṃdhuhīne ca na dattaṃ nopatiṣṭhate
హే ద్విజవ్యాఘ్రా! పరలోకంలో—సద్గుణధర్మం, సంయమం లేనివాడై, నిర్దయుడై, బంధువుల్లేనివాడై ఉన్నప్పుడు—దానం చేయనిది ఏదీ తోడుగా నిలవదు.
Unspecified (a narrator/teacher addressing a brāhmaṇa as ‘dvijavyāghra’ within the chapter’s discourse)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Sandhi Resolution Notes: nopatiṣṭhate → na upatiṣṭhate; dvijavyāghra → dvija-vyāghra; paraloke → para-loke.
FAQs
It teaches that charity (dāna) is a real support beyond this life; what one refuses to give does not help one in the afterlife.
It highlights that social supports—family and kin—do not accompany the soul after death, so only one’s own dharmic actions (like dāna) can ‘stand by’ one.
Cultivate compassion and self-restraint, and practice giving; otherwise, one faces the consequences of a hard-hearted, undisciplined life without any benefitting merit to rely upon.