Text 6] Battle Between the Demigods and Vrtrasura 163
TRANSLATION

The demigods replied: O exalted brahmana, pious persons like
you, whose activities are praiseworthy, are very kind and affec-
tionate to people in general. What can’t such pious souls give for
the benefit of others? They can give everything, including their
bodies.

TEXT 6
° Ni °
ad SW set A We THR |
ae Aq a ara Aha ae TEPAT IG Ul
niinam svartha-paro loko
na veda para-sankatam
yadi veda na yaceta
neti naha yad isvarah

niinam—certainly; sva-artha-parah—interested only in sense gra-
tification in this life or the next; lokah—materialistic people in general:
na—not; veda—know; para-sarnkatam—the pain of others; yadi—if:
veda—know; na—not; ydceta—would ask; na—no; iti—thus; na
adha—does not say; yat—since; isvarah—able to give charity.

TRANSLATION

Those who are too self-interested beg something from others,
not knowing of others’ pain. But if the beggar knew the difficulty
of the giver, he would not ask for anything. Similarly, he who is
able to give charity does not know the beggar’s difficulty, for
otherwise he would not refuse to give the beggar anything he
might want as charity.

PURPORT

This verse describes two people—one who gives charity and one who
begs for it. A beggar should not ask charity from a person who is in dif-
ficulty. Similarly, one who is able to give charity should not deny a beg-
gar. These are the moral instructions of the sdstra. Canakya Pandita says.
san-nimitte varam tydgo vindse niyate sati: everything within this ma-
terial world will be destroyed, and therefore one should use everything
