Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 72: Daśaratha’s Charity Before the Wedding
Text 1.72.22
गवां शतसहस्राणि ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नराधिपः।
एकैकशो ददौ राजा पुत्रानुद्दिश्य धर्मतः॥
gavāṁ śata-sahasrāṇi brāhmaṇebhyo narādhipaḥ
ekaikaśo dadau rājā putrān uddiśya dharmataḥ
gavām śata-sahasrāṇi = 10,000 cows; brāhmaṇebhyaḥ = to the brāhmaṇas; nara-adhipaḥ = and ruler of men; eka-ekaśaḥ = each of; dadau = gave in charity; rājā = the King Daśaratha; putrān = of his sons; uddiśya = for the sake; dharmataḥ = on dhārmika considerations.
For the sake of each of his sons, on dhārmika considerations, the king and ruler of men Daśaratha gave 10,000 cows in charity to the brāhmaṇas.
NOTE. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, “According to Vedic literature, it is enjoined that charity should be given to the brāhmaṇas. This practice is still followed, although not very nicely in terms of the Vedic injunction. But still the injunction is that charity should be given to the brāhmaṇas. Why? Because they are engaged in higher cultivation of spiritual knowledge. A brāhmaṇa is supposed to devote his whole life to understanding Brahman. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ: one who knows Brahman is called a brāhmaṇa. Thus charity is offered to the brāhmaṇas because they are always engaged in higher spiritual service and have no time to earn their livelihood.” (Bhagavad-gītā 10.4-5 purport)