Āśrama-dharma and Brahmacarya: Śuka’s Inquiry on Karma and Tyāga (शुक-प्रश्नः कर्मत्यागविवेकश्च)
गृहमावसतो हास्य नान्यत् तीर्थ प्रतिग्रहात् । देवर्षिपितृगुर्वर्थ वृद्धातुरबुभुक्षताम्
gṛham āvasato hāsya nānyat tīrthaṃ pratigrahāt | devarṣi-pitṛ-gurv-arthaṃ vṛddhāturabubhukṣatām ||
毗耶娑说道:“对于行家住之道的婆罗门而言,维持资财的神圣方式,除受施之外别无他途。受施应当是为了奉事诸神、诸仙、祖灵与师长,并扶持老者、病者与饥者。除为履行这些职责而受施外,婆罗门并无其他清净之路可以积聚资用。”
व्यास उवाच
A householder Brahmin may accept gifts (pratigraha) as a legitimate and ‘pure’ means of support, but the ethical purpose is service: sustaining worship and obligations to gods, sages, ancestors, and teachers, and providing food and care to the elderly, sick, and hungry.
In the Shanti Parva’s dharma instruction, Vyāsa states a rule of conduct about livelihood: for a Brahmin living as a householder, accepting donations is presented as the sanctioned route for maintaining resources, specifically oriented toward religious duties and compassionate support of vulnerable people.