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Shloka 36

पञज्चानामशनं दत्त्वा शेषमश्नन्ति साधव: । न जल्पन्ति च भुज्जाना न निद्रान्त्याद्रपाणय:

pañcānām aśanaṃ dattvā śeṣam aśnanti sādhavaḥ | na jalpanti ca bhuñjānā na nidrānty ārdrapāṇayaḥ ||

Bhīṣma sprach: „Die Rechtschaffenen geben zuerst Speise an fünf Anspruchsberechtigte—an die Götter, die Ahnen, die Wesen, die Gäste und den eigenen Haushalt—und erst dann essen sie, was übrig bleibt. Beim Essen führen sie kein müßiges Gerede, und sie legen sich nicht mit nassen Händen schlafen; so wahren sie Disziplin und Achtung im täglichen Leben.“

पञ्चानाम्of the five (persons/recipients)
पञ्चानाम्:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootपञ्च
Form—, Genitive, Plural
अशनम्food, meal
अशनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअशन
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
दत्त्वाhaving given
दत्त्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootदा (ददाति)
FormAbsolutive (Gerund), —, —
शेषम्the remainder
शेषम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootशेष
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अश्नन्तिthey eat
अश्नन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootअश् (अश्नाति)
FormPresent, Third, Plural
साधवःthe good (people), the virtuous
साधवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसाधु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
जल्पन्तिthey chatter/talk
जल्पन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootजल्प् (जल्पति)
FormPresent, Third, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
भुञ्जानाःwhile eating
भुञ्जानाः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootभुज् (भुनक्ति)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural, Present (active participle), —
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
निद्रान्तिthey sleep
निद्रान्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootनिद्रा (निद्रायति/निद्राति)
FormPresent, Third, Plural
आर्द्रपाणयःwith wet hands
आर्द्रपाणयः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootआर्द्रपाणि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
D
deities (devatāḥ)
A
ancestors (pitaraḥ)
B
beings/creatures (bhūtāni)
G
guest (atithi)
H
household/family members (kuṭumbinaḥ)

Educational Q&A

A disciplined householder should practice dharmic priority in eating: first share food with the five—deities, ancestors, living beings, guests, and one’s household—then eat the remainder; and maintain restraint and cleanliness by avoiding chatter while eating and not sleeping with wet hands.

In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs on righteous conduct (ācāra). Here he describes everyday ethical etiquette around food—offering to rightful recipients before oneself and observing decorum during and after meals.