Shloka 10
मांसपरिवर्जन-प्रशंसा (Praise of Abstention from Meat) / Ethics of Ahiṃsā in Diet and Rite
युधिष्ठिर! अब मैं उन उत्कृष्ट दानोंका वर्णन करूँगा, जिन्हें देकर मनुष्य यदि उससे न करने योग्य कर्म बन जाय॑ँ तो भी धर्मके फलसे संयुक्त होता है ।।
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca — yudhiṣṭhira! adhunāhaṃ tān utkṛṣṭān dānān varṇayiṣyāmi, yān dattvā manuṣyaḥ yadi tasya na kartavya-karmabhūto ’pi bhavet, tathāpi dharma-phala-saṃyukto bhavati. sarveṣām eva dānānām annaṃ śreṣṭham udāhṛtam; pūrvam annaṃ pradātavyam ṛjunā dharmam icchatā.
«Oh Yudhiṣṭhira, ahora describiré esos dones excelsos: al ofrecerlos, un hombre queda unido al fruto del dharma, aun si después cae en actos que no deberían hacerse. Entre todos los dones, el don de alimento es proclamado el mejor; por ello, quien desea sinceramente el dharma debe ante todo dar alimento, con intención recta y sencilla.»
युधिछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Among all forms of charity, giving food is proclaimed the highest; sincere, straightforward giving of sustenance is a primary means to accrue the fruits of dharma.
Within the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, the speaker addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and begins outlining superior forms of giving, emphasizing that food-giving should come first.