SB 8.19.36 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.19.36

न तद्दानं प्रशंसन्ति येन वृत्तिर्विपद्यते । दानं यज्ञस्तप: कर्म लोके वृत्तिमतो यत: ॥ ३६ ॥

na tad dānaṁ praśaṁsanti

[na tad daanam prashamsanti]

yena vṛttir vipadyate

[yena vrittir vipadyate]

dānaṁ yajñas tapaḥ karma

[daanam yajnas tapah karma]

loke vṛttimato yataḥ

[loke vrittimato yatah]

Word-for-word

na — not tat — that dānam — charity praśaṁsanti — the saintly persons praise yena — by which vṛttiḥ — one’s livelihood vipadyate — becomes endangered dānam — charity yajñaḥ — sacrifice tapaḥ — austerity karma — fruitive activities loke — in this world vṛttimataḥ — according to one’s means of livelihood yataḥ — as it is so.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

na tad dānaṁ praśaṁsanti

not

tat

that

dānam

charity

praśaṁsanti

the saintly persons praise

yena vṛttir vipadyate

yena

by which

vṛttiḥ

one’s livelihood

vipadyate

becomes endangered

dānaṁ yajñas tapaḥ karma

dānam

charity

yajñaḥ

sacrifice

tapaḥ

austerity

karma

fruitive activities

loke vṛttimato yataḥ

loke

in this world

vṛttimataḥ

according to one’s means of livelihood

yataḥ

as it is so.

Learned scholars do not praise that charity which endangers one’s own livelihood. Charity, sacrifice, austerity and fruitive activities are possible for one who is competent to earn his livelihood properly. [They are not possible for one who cannot maintain himself.]

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

Learned scholars do not praise that charity which endangers one's own livelihood. Charity, sacrifice, concentration of mind and fruitive activities are possible for one who is competent to earn his livelihood. “Why should I not try to fulfill my promise as much as possible?” Tapas means concentration of mind in the context.

Personal Guidance

Learned scholars do not praise charity that endangers one's own livelihood; charity, sacrifice, austerity require competence to earn. The guru cites śāstric prudence. Standard rules apply to standard situations; this is not standard.

Reflection Questions

Where am I applying standard śāstric rules to a non-standard divine visitation?
When would deviating from prudence actually be the deepest dharma?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io