ज्ञाननिष्ठाय देयानि कव्यान्यानन्त्यमिच्छता । दैवे च तदभावे स्यादितरेभ्यो यथार्हत: ॥ २ ॥
jnana-nisthaya deyani kavyany anantyam icchata daive ca tad-abhave syad itarebhyo yatharhatah
- jnana-nisthaya
- to the impersonalist or the transcendentalist desiring to merge into the Supreme
- deyani
- to be given in charity
- kavyani
- ingredients offered to the forefathers as oblations
- anantyam
- liberation from material bondage
- icchata
- by a person desiring
- daive
- the ingredients to be offered to the demigods
- ca
- also
- tat-abhave
- in the absence of such advanced transcendentalists
- syat
- it should be done
- itarebhyah
- to others (namely, those addicted to fruitive activities)
- yatha-arhatah
- comparatively or with discrimination
A person desiring liberation for his forefathers or himself should give charity to a brahmana who adheres to impersonal monism (jnana-nistha). In the absence of such an advanced brahmana, charity may be given to a brahmana addicted to fruitive activities (karma-kanda).