Shloka 9
धन-यज्ञ-दानविवेकः
Wealth, Sacrifice, and Disciplined Giving
अनरहहते यद् ददाति न ददाति यदर्हते । अह्निहपिरिज्ञानाद दानधर्मो5पि दुष्कर:
anarhate yad dadāti na dadāti yadarhate | ajñānāt pātriparijñānād dānadharmo 'pi duṣkaraḥ ||
Wika ni Devastāna: “Madalas, ang tao’y nagbibigay sa hindi karapat-dapat at hindi nagbibigay sa karapat-dapat. Dahil sa kamangmangan sa pagkilala sa wastong tatanggap, maging ang tungkulin ng pagkakawanggawa ay nagiging mahirap—sapagkat ang maling pagbibigay ay maaaring magbunga ng kasalanan sa halip na kabutihan.”
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.