Shloka 15
विद्योपजीविनो>न्नं च यो भुड्क्ते साधुसम्मत: । तदप्यन्नं यथा शौद्रं तत् साधु: परिवर्जयेत्,जो साधु पुरुषोंद्वारा सम्मानित पुरुष विद्या बेचकर जीविका चलानेवाले ब्राह्मणका अन्न खाता है, उसका वह अन्न भी शाद्रान्नके ही समान है। अतः साधु पुरुषको उसका परित्याग कर देना चाहिये
vidyopajīvino 'nnaṃ ca yo bhuṅkte sādhusammataḥ | tad apy annaṃ yathā śūdraṃ tat sādhuḥ parivarjayet ||
Bhīṣma said: “Even if a man is regarded as respectable among the virtuous, if he eats the food of a Brahmin who makes his living by selling learning, that food is to be considered no better than food associated with a Śūdra’s livelihood. Therefore, a truly good person should avoid it.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the moral quality of food depends on the giver’s means of livelihood: accepting food from a Brahmin who ‘sells’ learning is censured, and the virtuous should avoid such food, emphasizing integrity in earning and carefulness in receiving.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues advising on dharma and proper conduct, giving a rule about whom one should accept food from, using a strong comparison to discourage reliance on questionable sources of sustenance.