Shloka 17
Rāma’s Abhiṣeka Plan, Kaikeyī’s Boon, and the Initiation of the Exile
Mārkaṇḍeya’s Account
भुक्त्वा चान्नं ततः सर्वमुच्छिष्टेनात्मनस्तत: । अथाड़ूं लिलिपेडन्नेन यथागतमगाच्च स:,इस तरह सारा भोजन उदरस्थ करके दुर्वासाजीने जूठन लेकर अपने सारे अंगोंमें लपेट ली और फिर जैसे आये थे, वैसे ही चल दिये
bhuktvā cānnaṃ tataḥ sarvam ucchiṣṭenātmanas tataḥ | athāḍūṃ liliped anena yathāgatam agāc ca saḥ ||
Having eaten all the food, he then took the remaining morsel as his own leavings; with that he smeared his limbs, and departed just as he had come. In the narrative’s ethical frame, the act signals the ascetic’s self-sufficiency and closure of the encounter—accepting what is offered, leaving no claim behind, and moving on without further entanglement.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores ascetic self-sufficiency and ethical closure: one accepts what is given without greed, leaves no further demand, and moves on—suggesting restraint, non-attachment, and respect for the limits of hospitality.
After consuming the offered meal, the ascetic takes the remaining leavings, smears them on his body, and departs in the same manner as he arrived, indicating the encounter has ended and no further claim remains.