Mahabharata 3.2.55 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 2, Shloka 55
ब्राह्मणानुयात्रा—शौनकोपदेशः
Brāhmaṇas Follow into Exile and Śaunaka’s Instruction
देयमार्तस्य शयनं स्थितश्रान्तस्य चासनम् | तृषितस्य च पानीयं क्षुधितस्य च भोजनम्
deyam ārtasya śayanaṃ sthitaśrāntasya cāsanam | tṛṣitasya ca pānīyaṃ kṣudhitasya ca bhojanam ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: To one in distress, a bed should be given; to one who is standing and weary, a seat; to the thirsty, water; and to the hungry, food. Such basic relief to the afflicted is not optional but a direct obligation of dharma—immediate compassion expressed through practical aid.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma begins with immediate, concrete compassion: provide rest to the suffering, a seat to the weary, water to the thirsty, and food to the hungry. These are fundamental duties of humane conduct, not acts reserved for special occasions.
Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a rule of righteous behavior within the Vana Parva context, emphasizing practical hospitality and relief for those in need—framing ethical action as prompt assistance to bodily distress.
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