Shloka 22
अध्याय ५६ — च्यवन–कुशिकसंवादः
Cyavana–Kuśika Dialogue on Lineage, Conflict, and Transmission
वस्त्रै: शुभेरवच्छाद्य भोजनोपस्करै: सह । सर्वमादीपयामास च्यवनो भृगुनन्दन:
vastraiḥ śubhair avacchādya bhojanopaskaraiḥ saha | sarvam ādīpayāmāsa cyavano bhṛgunandanaḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: Having covered everything with fine garments—together with the provisions and utensils for the meal—Cyavana, the delight of the Bhṛgus, set the whole arrangement on fire. The episode underscores a deliberate, value-laden act: the ascetic’s decisive rejection of indulgent hospitality, demonstrating restraint and the primacy of inner discipline over outward luxury.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights vairāgya and self-mastery: an ascetic may deliberately refuse or even destroy luxurious offerings to prevent attachment and to affirm that dharma is grounded in inner discipline rather than external display.
Cyavana covers the arranged meal and its utensils with fine cloth and then ignites the entire setup, dramatically rejecting the offered comforts and asserting an austere stance.