Shloka 55

धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्

Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct

Devanagari script

विघसाशिना सदा भाव्यं सत्पथालम्बिना तथा | बाद्दां हि मार्गमाक्रम्य वर्तितव्यं बुभूषता,अपना कल्याण चाहनेवाले ब्राह्मणको उचित है कि वह सज्जनोंके मार्गका अवलम्बन करके सदा अतिथि और पोष्यवर्गको भोजन करानेके बाद अन्न ग्रहण करे, वेदोक्त पथका आश्रय लेकर उत्तम बर्ताव करे

Transliteration

vighasāśinā sadā bhāvyaṃ satpathālambinā tathā | bāddhāṃ hi mārgam ākramya vartitavyaṃ bubhūṣatā ||

Translation

Mahādeva sprach: „Wer sein eigenes Wohl sucht, soll stets als vighasāśin leben—erst essen, nachdem er zuvor Gäste und die von ihm Abhängigen gespeist hat—und ebenso am Weg der Guten festhalten. Hat er den verordneten (vedischen) Pfad betreten, muss er sich mit Zucht und edlem Verhalten führen.“

Word by Word

विघसाशिनाas one who eats after feeding others (vighasa-eater)

सदाalways

भाव्यम्should be / must be (it is to be done)

सत्पथालम्बिनाby one who relies on the path of the good

तथाlikewise / thus

बद्ध्वाhaving taken up / having adopted

हिindeed / for

मार्गम्path

आक्रम्यhaving entered upon / having followed

वर्तितव्यम्should conduct oneself / must behave

बुभूषताby one who wishes to thrive / to live well

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī Maheśvara (Mahādeva/Śiva)

satpatha (path of the good)

mārga (Vedic/ordained path)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches a discipline of ethical living: one should follow the virtuous path and practice self-restraint by eating only after fulfilling duties of hospitality and care—feeding guests and dependents first—thus aligning personal welfare with social responsibility and Vedic dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Śrī Maheśvara speaks as a moral authority, prescribing proper conduct for one seeking well-being: adherence to the satpatha (way of the good) and the ordained path of right behavior, exemplified through the practice of vighasāśin (eating after serving others).