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Shloka 21

अरण्यवृत्ति-वैराग्योपदेशः | Forest Discipline and the Program of Non-Attachment

अल्पं वास्वादु वा भोज्यं पूर्वालाभेन जातुचित्‌ । अन्येष्वपि चरेँल्लाभमलाभे सप्त पूरयन्‌

alpaṁ vā svādu vā bhojyaṁ pūrvālābhena jātucit | anyeṣv api carel lābham alābhe sapta pūrayan ||

قال يودهيشثيرا: «سواء كان الطعام الذي أناله قليلاً أو طيبَ المذاق، فسأقبله دون أن أُمعن التفكير فيما فاتني من قبل. فإن لم أنل الصدقة في بيتٍ واحد مضيتُ إلى بيوتٍ أخرى؛ فإن نلتُها فذلك كافٍ. وإن لم أنلها، مضيتُ على الترتيب إلى سبعة بيوتٍ ولا أذهب إلى الثامن».

अल्पम्little (quantity)
अल्पम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअल्प
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
अस्वादुtasteless, not delicious
अस्वादु:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअस्वादु
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
भोज्यम्food, something to be eaten
भोज्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभोज्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
पूर्वfrom the previous (one)
पूर्व:
Apadana
TypeAdjective
Rootपूर्व
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
अलाभेनby/with non-attainment, by failure to get (alms)
अलाभेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअलाभ
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
जातुever, at any time
जातु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootजातु
चित्even, at all (enclitic)
चित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootचित्
अन्येषुin/among others (houses/people)
अन्येषु:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्य
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural
अपिalso, even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
चरेत्should go about, should seek
चरेत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootचर्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
लाभम्gain, obtaining (alms)
लाभम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootलाभ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अलाभेin the case of non-attainment
अलाभे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअलाभ
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
सप्तseven
सप्त:
TypeNoun
Rootसप्त
पूरयन्filling, completing
पूरयन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootपूरयत् (from causative धातु पूरय- < पूर्)
FormPresent active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

युधिछिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
A
alms (bhikṣā)
H
houses (implied: householders’ doors)

Educational Q&A

Practice contentment and restraint: accept whatever alms comes without craving for better food, and set a disciplined limit (seven houses) to prevent greed, harassment of householders, and dependence.

Yudhiṣṭhira describes a rule of conduct for seeking alms: he will not lament earlier failure, will try other houses if refused, and will stop after approaching seven houses, avoiding an eighth.