niṣṭhāṁ te narake manye
niṣṭhāṁ te narake manye
hy apradātuḥ pratiśrutam
pratiśrutasya yo 'nīśaḥ
pratipādayituṁ bhavān
Since you will certainly be unable to fulfill your promise, I think that because of this inability your residence will be perpetually in hell.
Unable to keep your promise you will reside perpetually in hell. By giving everything you go to hell. Therefore it is better not to give everything in order to enjoy the material world.
|| 8.19.36 ||
na tad dānaṁ praśaṁsanti
yena vṛttir vipadyate
dānaṁ yajñas tapaḥ karma
loke vṛttimato yataḥ
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.
|| 8.19.37 ||
dharmāya yaśase 'rthāya
kāmāya sva-janāya ca
pañcadhā vibhajan vittam
ihāmutra ca modate
A person who divides his wealth in five parts—for religion, for reputation, for material objects, for enjoyment and for the maintenance of his family members, is happy in this world and in the next.
Charity should be done according to scriptural rules.
|| 8.19.38 ||
atrāpi bahvṛcair gītaṁ
śṛṇu me 'sura-sattama
satyam om iti yat proktaṁ
yan nety āhānṛtaṁ hi tat
O best of the demons! Hear from me the evidence of the Bahvṛca-śruti in this regard. A promise is truthful preceded by the word oṁ and untruthful if not.
“If I have something to give, and I say I have nothing, how can I avoid the sin of lying?” This is explained in six verses and a half. In regards to truth and untruth, what is preceded by oṁ is true. What is not preceded by oṁ is untrue. Śruti says oṁ iti satyaṁ nety anṛtam: oṁ indicates truth and lack of it indicates untruth.
|| 8.19.39 ||
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