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 ||
提婆斯他那说道：“人往往施与不当施之人，却不施与当施之人。由于无知而不能辨识正当受者，连布施之法也变得艰难——因为施舍失其所，可能招致过失，而非功德。”
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.