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.“
भीष्म उवाच
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.