Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 18
धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्
Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct
शूद्रान्न गहितं देवि सदा देवैर्महात्मभि: । पितामहमुखोत्सृष्ट प्रमाणमिति मे मति:
śūdrānnaṃ gāhitaṃ devi sadā devair mahātmabhiḥ | pitāmaha-mukhotsṛṣṭaṃ pramāṇam iti me matiḥ ||
Maheshvara dit : « Ô Déesse, la nourriture associée à un Śūdra a toujours été blâmée par les dieux et par les sages à l’âme grande. En cette matière, je tiens pour preuve d’autorité la parole sortie de la bouche de Pitāmaha Brahmā. »
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts that in questions of conduct (here, food-related norms), one should rely on recognized authority (pramāṇa), specifically the pronouncement attributed to Brahmā, and it presents a traditional stance that certain foods are censured within that normative framework.
Śrī Mahēśvara addresses the Devī and states his settled view: that gods and great sages have long criticized “Śūdra-associated food,” and that Brahmā’s utterance is the decisive authority for this claim.