Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption
पायसं चोरयित्वा तु तित्तिरित्वमवाप्तुते हृत्वा पिष्टमयं पूपं कुम्भोलूक: प्रजायते,खीरकी चोरी करनेवाला तीतरकी योनिमें जन्म लेता है। आटेका पूआ चुराकर मनुष्य मरनेके बाद उल्लू होता है
pāyasaṃ corayitvā tu tittiritvam avāpnute | hṛtvā piṣṭamayaṃ pūpaṃ kumbholūkaḥ prajāyate ||
Celui qui vole du pāyasa (riz au lait sucré) renaît en perdrix. Et celui qui vole un gâteau fait de farine renaît en hibou après la mort.
युधिछिर उवाच
The verse teaches asteya (non-stealing) by illustrating that theft leads to karmic retribution, here described as rebirth into specific animal forms, emphasizing that even seemingly small thefts carry moral and spiritual consequences.
In a didactic exchange within the Anuśāsana Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira states examples of karmic results: stealing pāyasa leads to partridge-birth, and stealing a flour-cake leads to owl-birth, as part of a broader discussion on conduct and the fruits of actions.