Shloka 96
आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
तोयपूर्व प्रदायान्नमतिथि भ्यो विशाम्पते । पश्चाद् भुञज्जीत मेधावी न चाप्यन्यमना नर:
toyapūrvaṃ pradāyānnam atithibhyo viśāmpate | paścād bhuñjīta medhāvī na cāpy anyamanā naraḥ ||
قال بهيشما: «يا سيدَ الناس، بعد أن يقدّم المرءُ الماءَ أولاً ثم الطعامَ للضيوف، لا يأكل الحكيمُ إلا بعد ذلك؛ وحتى حينئذٍ لا ينبغي أن يأكل وقلبُه شاردٌ.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Hospitality is a primary duty: one should first honor guests by offering water and food, and only then eat oneself; moreover, eating should be done with attentive, undistracted mind as part of disciplined conduct (dharma).
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on righteous conduct (dharma), he addresses the king and lays down a rule of household ethics: prioritize the needs of guests through proper offerings, then partake of one’s meal with mental composure.