Shloka 100
Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha
एकां दत्त्वा स पारक््यां नरकं॑ समपद्यत । “राजा नृगने ब्राह्मणोंको हजारों गौएँ दान की थीं; किंतु एक ही गौ दूसरेकी दान कर दी, जिससे अन्यायत: प्राप्त द्रव्यका दान करनेके कारण उन्हें नरकमें जाना पड़ा ।।
ekāṃ dattvā sa pārakyāṃ narakaṃ samapadyata |
Dahil sa pag-aalay ng iisang baka na pag-aari ng iba, siya’y nahulog sa impiyerno. Inaalaala rito si Haring Nṛga: bagama’t nakapagkaloob siya ng libu-libong baka sa mga brāhmaṇa, nang magkamali siyang maibigay kahit isang baka na hindi niya karapatan, nagkasala siya sa pagbibigay ng yamang di-makatarungan ang pinagmulan at kaya’t napasadsad sa impiyerno—patunay na ang kalinisan ng pagmamay-ari at katarungan sa pagbibigay ay mahalaga sa dharma.
श्षशुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Charity is dharmic only when what is given is rightfully one’s own; even a single gift made from another’s property (or unjustly acquired wealth) can outweigh vast meritorious giving and lead to grave karmic consequence.
The speaker cites the example of King Nṛga: despite donating thousands of cows, he mistakenly gave away one cow that belonged to someone else, and for that wrongful donation he is said to have fallen into naraka, illustrating the strict ethical standard governing dāna.