Shloka 85
Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption
देवकार्यमकृत्वा तु पितृकार्यमथापि वा । अनिर्वाप्य समश्नन् वै मृतो जायति वायस:,जो देवकार्य अथवा पितृकार्य न करके बलि-वैश्वदेव किये बिना ही अन्न ग्रहण करता है, वह मरनेके बाद कौएकी योनिमें जन्म लेता है
devakāryam akṛtvā tu pitṛkāryam athāpi vā | anirvāpyā samaśnan vai mṛto jāyati vāyasaḥ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: If a person eats food without first performing the duties owed to the gods or even those owed to the ancestors—without offering the proper oblations (such as bali and vaiśvadeva)—then, after death, he is born in the womb of a crow.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Food should not be consumed as mere private enjoyment; one must first honor obligations to the gods and ancestors through prescribed offerings (such as bali and vaiśvadeva). Neglecting these duties is presented as adharma with karmic consequences, symbolized by rebirth as a crow.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira voices a dharma statement about proper conduct before eating, emphasizing ritual gratitude and responsibility toward devas and pitṛs, and warning of an unfavorable rebirth for those who ignore these practices.