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Shloka 82

तीर्थवंशोपदेशः

Tīrtha-vaṃśa Upadeśa: Instruction on the Fruits of Sacred Waters

बालानामथ वृद्धानां दासानां चैव ये नरा: । अदत्त्वा भक्षयन्त्यग्रे ते वै निरयगामिन:,जो बालकों, बूढ़ों और सेवकोंको दिये बिना ही पहले स्वयं भोजन कर लेते हैं, वे भी निःसंदेह नरकगामी होते हैं

bālānām atha vṛddhānāṁ dāsānāṁ caiva ye narāḥ | adattvā bhakṣayanty agre te vai nirayagāminaḥ ||

Bhishma dit : Ces hommes qui mangent les premiers sans avoir d’abord donné à manger aux enfants, aux vieillards et aux serviteurs sont, sans aucun doute, voués à l’enfer. Le verset présente le fait de nourrir d’abord les dépendants et les vulnérables comme un devoir fondamental du dharma domestique et comme une épreuve de compassion et de maîtrise de soi.

बालानाम्of children / to children (intended recipients)
बालानाम्:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootबाल
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
अथand/then
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
वृद्धानाम्of the elderly / to the elderly (intended recipients)
वृद्धानाम्:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootवृद्ध
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
दासानाम्of servants / to servants (intended recipients)
दासानाम्:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootदास
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
येwho (those who)
ये:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
नराःmen/people
नराः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
अदत्त्वाwithout giving (having not given)
अदत्त्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootदा (ददाति)
FormAbsolutive (त्वा), Active
भक्षयन्तिeat/consume
भक्षयन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootभक्ष्
FormPresent (Lat), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
अग्रेfirst/beforehand
अग्रे:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअग्र
तेthey
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
वैindeed/surely
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
निरयगामिनःhell-goers / destined for hell
निरयगामिनः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootनिरयगामिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
C
children (bāla)
T
the elderly (vṛddha)
S
servants (dāsa)
H
hell (niraya)

Educational Q&A

One should not satisfy oneself first; feeding children, elders, and those who serve in the household is a primary obligation. Neglecting them and eating first is treated as a serious breach of dharma with grave karmic consequences.

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anushasana Parva), he lays down a rule of conduct for household life: the vulnerable and dependents must be provided for before the householder eats, and failure to do so is condemned.