Shloka 34
Adhyāya 270 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on saṃnyāsa; Bhīṣma on calculable time, tamas, and karma
Vṛtra–Uśanā exemplum begins
देवतातिथिशेषेण फलमूलाशनो द्विज: । धर्मे चास्य महाराज दृढा बुद्धिरजायत,देवताओं और अतिथियोंको अर्पण करके शेष बचे हुए फल-मूल आदिका वह आहार करता था। महाराज! धर्मके विषयमें उसकी बुद्धि अटल हो गयी थी
devatātithiśeṣeṇa phalamūlāśano dvijaḥ | dharme cāsya mahārāja dṛḍhā buddhir ajāyata ||
Bhishma said: “That brahmin would eat only fruits and roots left over after first offering them to the gods and to guests. O great king, his understanding became unwavering in matters of dharma.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is strengthened through disciplined living: honoring gods and guests first, accepting only the remainder for oneself, and cultivating steadfast moral judgment (dṛḍhā buddhi) rather than self-indulgence.
Bhishma describes a brahmin’s austere, dharma-centered lifestyle: he subsists on fruits and roots, but only after making offerings and serving guests; this practice leads to an unshakable resolve regarding righteous conduct.