Shloka 81
Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman
Manu’s Instruction
राजोवाच यदि विप्र विसृष्टं ते जप्पस्थ फलमुत्तमम् | आवयोर्यत् फलं किज्चित् सहितं नौ तदस्त्विह
rājovāca yadi vipra visṛṣṭaṃ te japastha phalam uttamam | āvayor yat phalaṃ kiñcit sahitaṃ nau tad astv iha ||
国王说道：“婆罗门啊，若你确已将你持诵（japa）所得的至上果报赐予我，那么就让此事如此成立：无论你我二人之中谁所积得的功德，都当汇为一处；让我们二人共同受用——对这共同的果报享有同等的权利。”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical ideal of reciprocity and shared responsibility: spiritual merit (the fruit of japa) is not treated as a private possession alone, but as something that can be consciously shared, creating equality in enjoyment of results and mutual participation in dharmic outcomes.
In a dialogue between a king and a brāhmaṇa, the king responds to the brāhmaṇa’s act of giving away the ‘supreme fruit’ of his japa. The king proposes that henceforth whatever merit either of them gains should be combined, so both may partake together with equal right.