Shloka 22
Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: Abhaya, Anugraha, and the Ethics of Honoring the Worthy (दानश्रेष्ठता: अभय-अनुग्रह-विप्रपूजा)
भोजनं च समानाय्य यत् तदा दीपितं मया । क्रुद्धयेथा यदि मात्सर्यादिति तन्मर्षितं च मे
bhojanaṃ ca samānāyya yat tadā dīpitaṃ mayā | kruddhyethā yadi mātsaryād iti tan marṣitaṃ ca me ||
«Et lorsque j’ai fait apporter de la nourriture puis l’ai livrée aux flammes, cela aussi cachait le même dessein : que, par jalousie, tu te mettes en colère contre moi. Pourtant, même ce comportement de ma part, tu l’as enduré.»
च्यवन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣamā (forbearance) and mastery over anger: even when provoked through deliberate insult meant to trigger jealousy, the virtuous response is restraint and endurance rather than retaliation.
Cyavana explains that he intentionally staged a provocation—having food brought and then burning it—to see whether the other person would react with jealous anger. He notes that the provocation failed because the other person tolerated his conduct.