Shloka 2
Kīṭopākhyāna: Prajā-pālana as Kṣatra-vrata and the Attainment of Brāhmaṇya
अपूपान् विविधाकाराज्शाकानि विविधानि च । खाण्डवान् रसयोगाजन्न तथेच्छन्ति यथा5डमिषम्
apūpān vividhākārān śākāni vividhāni ca | khāṇḍavān rasayogāj jann na tathecchanti yathāḍamiṣam ||
Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: «Die Menschen begehren nicht Kuchen in mancherlei Gestalt, nicht verschiedenes Gemüse, ja nicht einmal süße, saftige Köstlichkeiten in Sirup, so sehr, wie sie nach Fleisch verlangen.»
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the comparative force of craving: even refined vegetarian foods and sweets may not attract the mind as strongly as meat does for those habituated to it. Ethically, it points to the power of taste-based attachment and the need for restraint and conscious discipline in matters of diet.
Yudhiṣṭhira is speaking in a discussion that touches on conduct and values (dharma). He uses everyday examples—cakes, vegetables, and sweets—to make a practical observation about human appetite, setting up a broader reflection on desire, habit, and self-control.