युधिष्ठिर उवाच अपूर्वश्च भवेत् पात्रमथवापि चिरोषितः। दूरादभ्यागतं चापि किं पात्रं स्यात् पितामह॥
Yudhishthira said Which among these three persons, O grandfather should be regarded as the best for making gifts, viz., one who is a thorough stranger, or one who is living with and known to the giver for a long time, or one who comes to the giver from a long distance?
भीष्म उवाच क्रिया भवति केषांचिदुपांशुव्रतमुत्तमम्। यो यो याचेत यत् किञ्चित् सर्वं दद्याम इत्यपि॥
Bhishma said All these are equal. The fitness of some consists in their soliciting alms for celebrating sacrifices or for paying the preceptor's fee or for maintaining their wives and children. The fitness of some, for receiving gifts, consists in their following the vow of wandering over the Earth, never soliciting anything but receiving when given. We should also give to one what one seeks.
अपीडयन् भृत्यवर्गमित्येवमनुशुश्रुम। पीडयन् भृत्यवर्गं हि आत्मानमपकर्षति॥
We should however, make gifts without afflicting those who depend upon us. This is what we have heard. By afflicting one's dependants, one afflicts his own self.
अपूर्वं भावयेत् पात्रं यच्चापि स्याच्चिरोषितम्। दूरादभ्यागतं चापि तत्पात्रं च विदुर्बुधाः॥
The stranger, one, that is who has come for the first time, should be considered as a proper object of gifts. He who is familiar and wellknown and has been living with the giver, should also be considered in the same light. The learned know that he too who comes from a distant place should be considered in an equal light.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अपीडया च भूतानां धर्मस्याहिंसया तथा। पात्रं विद्यात् तु तत्त्वेन यस्मै दत्तं न संतपेत्॥
Yudhishthira said It is true that we should make gifts to others without afflicting any one and without going against the ordinances of scriptures. One should, however, correctly determine who the person is that should be considered as a proper object for making gifts. He should be such that the gift itself, when made over to him, may not grieve.
भीष्म उवाच ऋत्विक् पुरोहिताचार्याः शिष्यसम्बन्धिबान्धवाः। सर्वे पूज्याश्च मान्याश्च श्रुतवन्तोऽनसूयकाः॥
Bhishma said If the Ritvij, the Purohita, the preceptor, the Acharya, the disciple, the relative (by marriage), and kinsmen, happen to be endued with learning and free from malice, then should they be considered worthy of respect and adoration.
अतोऽन्यथा वर्तमानाः सर्वे नार्हन्ति सत्क्रियाम्। तस्मान्नित्यं परीक्षेत पुरुषान् प्रणिधाय वै॥
Those persons who do not possess such qualifications cannot be considered as worthy of gifts or hospitality. Hence, one should with deliberation examine persons who one meets.
अक्रोधः सत्यवचनमहिंसा दम आर्जवम्। अद्रोहोऽनभिमानश्च ह्रीस्तितिक्षा दमः शमः॥ यस्मिन्नेतानि दृश्यन्ते न चाकार्याणि भारत। स्वभावतो निविष्टानि तत्पात्रं मानमर्हति॥
Absence of anger, truthfulness of speech, abstention from injury, sincerity, peacefulness of conduct, the absence of pride, modesty, renunciation, selfcontrol and tranquillity or contentment of soul he in whom these are by nature, and in whom there are no wicked acts, should be considered as a proper object. Such a person deserves honours.
तथा चिरोषितं चापि सम्प्रत्यागतमेव च। अपूर्वं चैव पूर्वं च तत्पात्रं मानमर्हति॥
Whether the person be one who is wellknown and familiar or one who has come newly, whether he has or has not been seen before, if he happens to possess these qualifications, he should be considered as worthy of honors and hospitality.
अव्यवस्था च वेदानां शास्त्राणां चाभिलङ्घनम्। अव्यवस्था च सर्वत्र एतान्नाशनमात्मनः॥
He who denies the authority of the Vedas, or tries to show that the scriptures should be disregarded, or approves of all breaches of control in society, simply brings about his own ruin.
भवेत् पण्डितमानी यो ब्राह्मणो वेदनिन्दकः। आन्वीक्षिकी तर्कविद्यामनुरक्तो निरर्थिकाम्॥ हेतुवादान् ब्रुवन् सत्सु विजेताहेतुवादिकः। आक्रोष्टा चातिवक्ता च ब्राह्मणानां सदैव हि॥ सर्वाभिशङ्की मूढच बालः कटुकवागपि। बोद्धव्यस्तादृशस्तात नरं श्वानं हि तं विदुः॥
That Brahinana who is proud of his learning, who speaks ill of the Vedas or who is given to the science of useless disputation, or who is desirous of acquiring victory in disputations) in assemblies of good men by disproving the reasons that exist for morality and religion and attributing everything to chance, or who indulges in censuring and reproaching others who reproves Brahmanas, or who is suspicious of all persons, or who is foolish and bereft of judgment, or who is bitter of speech, should be known to be as hateful as a dog.
यथा श्वा भषितुं चैव हन्तुं चैवावसज्जते। एवं सम्भाषणार्थाय सर्वशास्त्रवधाय च॥
As a dog, meets others, barking the while and seeking to bite, such a person is even so, for he spends his breath in vain and tries to destroy the authority of all the scriptures.
लोकयात्रा च द्रष्टव्या धर्मश्चात्महितानि च। एवं नरो वर्तमानः शाश्वतीर्घते समाः॥
or Those practices that support society, the duties of virtue, and all those acts which yield benefit to one's own self, should be attended to. A person that lives, attending to these, becomes prosperous for good.
ऋणमुन्मुच्य देवानामृषीणां च तथैव च। पितॄणामथ विप्राणामतिथीनां च पञ्चमम्॥ पर्यायेण विशुद्धेन सुविनीतेन कर्मणा। एवं गृहस्थ: कर्माणि कुर्वन् धर्मान्न हीयते॥
By satisfying the debt one owes to the deities by performing sacrifices, that to the Rishis by studying the Vedas, that to the departed manes by procreating children, that to the Brahmanas by making presents to them, and that to guests by feeding them, in due order, and with purity of motive, and properly attending to the ordinances of the scriptures, a householder does not fall away from virtue.