Shloka 936
Brāhmaṇa-vandana: Criteria for Veneration, Disciplined Speech, and Protective Kingship (अनुशासनपर्व, अध्याय ८)
ये चापि सतत राजंस्तेभ्यश्व स्पृहयाम्यहम् । राजा युधिष्ठिर! जो पवित्र होकर ब्राह्मणोंको उनकी तृप्तिके लिये शुद्ध और अच्छे ढंगसे तैयार किये हुए पवित्र तथा गुणकारक अन्न परोसते हैं
ye cāpi satataṁ rājan tebhyaś ca spṛhayāmy aham | rājā yudhiṣṭhira! ye pavitrā bhūtvā brāhmaṇānāṁ tṛptaye śuddhaṁ suśobhanaṁ ca vidhinā saṁskṛtaṁ pavitraṁ guṇakārakam annaṁ pariveṣayanti tān api ahaṁ sadā kāṅkṣe |
Wahai Raja, kepada orang-orang seperti itu pun aku senantiasa merindukan. Wahai Raja Yudhiṣṭhira—mereka yang, setelah menyucikan diri, demi kepuasan para brāhmaṇa menyajikan makanan yang bersih, disiapkan dengan tata cara yang semestinya, disucikan, dan menumbuhkan kebajikan—mereka pun selalu kukasihi.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma praises the dharmic value of anna-dāna done with inner and outer purity: becoming purified oneself and serving Brahmins with clean, properly prepared, sanctified food for their satisfaction is presented as a virtue-producing act worthy of esteem.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma addresses King Yudhishthira and identifies a class of righteous people—those who respectfully feed Brahmins with pure, well-prepared food—saying he continually values and approves of them.