Verse 4.186

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

प्रतिग्रहसमर्थोऽपि प्रसङ्गं तत्र वर्जयेत् ।
प्रतिग्रहेण ह्यस्याशु ब्राह्मं तेजः प्रशाम्यति ॥ १८६ ॥

pratigrahasamartho'pi prasaṅgaṃ tatra varjayet |
pratigraheṇa hyasyāśu brāhmaṃ tejaḥ praśāmyati || 186 ||

Though entitled to accept presents, he shall avoid addiction to it; because, by receiving gifts, his spiritual light is quickly extinguished.—(186)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The ‘gift’ here meant is what one obtains from another person, who gives it with a view to some transcendental reward. Even though one may be‘ entitled’—i.e., fit—to accept such a gift, one shall avoid getting into the habit of doing it again and again. The ‘title’ or ‘fitness’ here meant consists in being endowed with an excellence of learning, study, and character, and possessing full knowledge of things and laws. Hence, what is stated in the second half of the verse is only the reiteration of what has been said above regarding the ignorant person fearing etc. (191)—(186).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Dānamayūkha (p. 6).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Viṣṇu (57.6, 7, 9).—‘He shall avoid being addicted to receiving gifts from persons whose gifts should not be accepted; by the acceptance of such gifts the spiritual light of Brāhmaṇas becomes extinguished; even though entitled to receive gifts he shall avoid becoming addicted to it.’

Yājñavalkya (1.213).—‘If one, though entitled to receive gifts, does not accept them, he obtains those spacious regions which are meant for the extremely charitable persons.’