Shloka 80

गृहस्थस्य सदाचारः: शौच, तर্পण, वैश्वदेव, अतिथिधर्म, भोजन-विधि, संध्योपासन, ऋतु-धर्मः

Devanagari script

न कुत्सिताहृतं नैव जुगुप्सावद् असंस्कृतम् दत्त्वा तु भुक्तं शिष्येभ्यः क्षुधितेभ्यस् तथा गृही

Transliteration

na kutsitāhṛtaṃ naiva jugupsāvad asaṃskṛtam dattvā tu bhuktaṃ śiṣyebhyaḥ kṣudhitebhyas tathā gṛhī

Translation

A householder should not eat what has been obtained by blameworthy means, nor what is repulsive, nor what is unprepared and unsanctified. Having first given a share to his hungry disciples, he may then partake of his own meal in due order.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• कुत्सिताहृतम्: brought from a contemptible source
• कुत्सिताहृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुत्सित (प्रातिपदिक) + आहृत (आ-हृ-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (अन्नस्य); कर्मधारयः = कुत्सितं च तत् आहृतम्

• न: not
• न: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• एव: at all/indeed
• एव: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय

• जुगुप्सावत्: disgusting/repulsive
• जुगुप्सावत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जुगुप्सा (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (मतुप्/वतुप्-सदृश; तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘जुगुप्सावत्’ = घृणास्पदम्/घृणाजनकम्

• असंस्कृतम्: uncooked/unrefined/unsanctified
• असंस्कृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + संस्कृत (सम्-कृ-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (अन्नस्य)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय; अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• भुक्तम्: (food) eaten / what is eaten
• भुक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘भुक्तम् (अन्नम्)’ इति; past passive participle used nominally

• शिष्येभ्यः: to disciples/students
• शिष्येभ्यः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचन

• क्षुधितेभ्यः: to the hungry
• क्षुधितेभ्यः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधित (क्षुध्-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचन; विशेषण (शिष्येभ्यः)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (thus/likewise)

• गृही: the householder
• गृही: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Ethics of livelihood and food: rejecting blameworthy gain and feeding dependents first

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A householder must not eat food gained through blameworthy means or that is impure/uncooked; he should first feed hungry disciples and dependents, then eat in proper order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Choose ethically sourced livelihood and consumption; prioritize care for dependents/learners before personal comfort.

Vishishtadvaita: Service to those under one’s care is service to the Lord’s embodied order; dharma is relational, not merely private purity.

Characters & Entities

• Disciples (Śiṣyas)

FAQs

What is the significance of food ethics in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames eating as a dharmic act: the householder must avoid impure or wrongly obtained food and must prioritize giving to the hungry—especially students—before eating.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the householder’s duty toward disciples?

Parāśara presents it as a priority of obligation: the gṛhastha should first provide for hungry śiṣyas and only then eat, showing that learning and dependence are protected through household generosity.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even without naming Vishnu directly, the teaching reflects Vaishnava dharma: sustaining others, purity of means, and ordered duty are ways the devotee aligns life with the cosmic order upheld by Vishnu.