Shloka 4
Agastya-Māhātmya and Vasiṣṭha’s Protection of the Ādityas
Khalina Daityas; Sarayū Etiology
वैश्यास्तु भोज्या विप्राणां क्षत्रियाणां तथैव च | नित्याग्नयो विविक्ताश्च चातुर्मास्यरताश्न ये
vaiśyās tu bhojyā viprāṇāṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ tathaiva ca | nityāgnayo viviktāś ca cāturmāsyaratāśn ye ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Di antara para vaiśya pun, hanya mereka yang layak memberi makanan kepada brāhmaṇa dan kṣatriya: yang memelihara api suci setiap hari, hidup dalam kemurnian dan disiplin, serta setia menjalankan ritus Cāturmāsya. Makanan hendaknya diterima hanya dari kepala keluarga yang demikian.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches discernment in accepting food: Brāhmaṇas and Kṣatriyas should accept sustenance only from Vaiśya householders whose life is marked by daily maintenance of sacred fires, disciplined purity, and faithful observance of seasonal rites. The ethical point is that food carries the moral and ritual quality of the giver’s conduct.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues laying down norms of right conduct. Here he specifies which Vaiśyas are considered proper donors of food to higher varṇas, linking social interaction (receiving food) to ritual practice and personal discipline.