Shloka 15
Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्
देवेभ्यश्न पितृभ्यश्न संश्रितेभ्यस्तथैव च | अवशिष्टनि यो भुंक्ते तमाहुर्विघसाशिनम्
devebhyaś ca pitṛbhyaś ca saṁśritebhyaś tathaiva ca | avaśiṣṭaṁ yo bhuṅkte tam āhur vighasāśinam ||
ভীষ্ম বললেন—যে ব্যক্তি প্রথমে দেবগণকে, পিতৃগণকে এবং তদ্রূপ আশ্রিতজনকে অন্ন অর্পণ করে, তারপর অবশিষ্ট যা থাকে তা ভক্ষণ করে—তাকে ‘বিঘসাশী’ বলা হয়।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should not consume food as a private entitlement. Dharma requires first honoring higher obligations—offerings to devas and pitṛs—and social obligations—feeding dependents/those under one’s protection—before eating what remains. Such disciplined, sharing-based consumption is praised as vighasāśin.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma (Anuśāsana Parva), he defines a virtuous mode of household living: the proper order of giving and eating. The verse characterizes the person who eats only after offerings and distribution as ‘vighasāśin’.