Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman
Manu’s Instruction
ब्राह्मण उवाच परम॑ गृह्म॒तां तस्य फलं यज्जपितं मया । अर्ध त्वमविचारेण फल तस्य हाावाप्रुहि
brāhmaṇa uvāca | param gṛhṇatāṁ tasya phalaṁ yaj japitaṁ mayā | ardhaṁ tvam avicāreṇa phalaṁ tasya haivāpruṇu ||
婆罗门说道:“大王啊,请受我所修诵持之最高果报。毋须迟疑,至少取其功德之一半为己有;若你愿取我此japa之果尽数,亦可随你心意全然取去。”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Spiritual merit is treated as ethically significant and transferable through intention and consent; the verse highlights generosity and the renunciant ideal—offering one’s own religious ‘fruit’ for another’s welfare, while leaving the choice to the recipient.
A Brahmin addresses a king and offers him the fruit of his performed japa, proposing that the king may take half without hesitation, or even the whole merit if he so desires—framing the exchange as a voluntary, dharmic gift.