Hindu Law and Custom (Recht und Sitte) c8.144

c8.144

On the other hand care should be taken that gifts are not bestowed on undeserving persons; those gifts which are made with a pious intention but are spent otherwise are therefore invalid as well as if there are fraud, bribery, fear, enmity and other illegal and ignoble motives at the root (M. 8, 212; Nār. 4, 9—12; Bṛh. 15, 8—11 etc.). It is a A family man cannot give away his whole property. significant fact that it is held to be necessary to put a curb on the pious zeal by declaring the gift of the whole property invalid, at least when there is male issue (Nār. 4,4 etc.) ; all that remains after the costs of maintaining and clothing the family have been defrayed may be given and if anybody gives still more then "what formerly tasted like honey should be changed into poison" (Bṛh. 15, 3).