Shloka 5
Kuntī’s Benediction to Draupadī and the Alliance Gifts (कुन्त्याः स्नुषाशीर्-वचनम् तथा दान-प्रतिग्रहः)
ये चान्नमिच्छन्ति ददस्व तेभ्य: परिश्रिता ये परितो मनुष्या: । ततकश्न शेषं॑ प्रविभज्य शीघ्र- मर्थ चतुर्धा मम चात्मनश्न,“तथा अपने आस-पास जो दूसरे मनुष्य आश्रितभावसे रहते और भोजन चाहते हैं, उन्हें भी अन्न परोसो। तदनन्तर जो शेष बच जाय, उसके शीघ्र ही इस प्रकार विभाग करो। अन्नका आधा भाग एकके लिये रखो, फिर शेषके छ: भाग करके चार भाइयोंके लिये चार भाग अलग-अलग रख दो, उसके बाद मेरे लिये और अपने लिये भी एक-एक भाग पृथक्- पृथक् परोस दो
ye cānnam icchanti dadasva tebhyaḥ pariśritā ye parito manuṣyāḥ | tataḥ śeṣaṃ pravibhajya śīghram arthaṃ caturdhā mama cātmanaś ca ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Serve food also to those people nearby who depend on you and ask for a meal. Then, quickly divide what remains: set aside a half-portion for one, apportion shares for the four brothers, and finally serve separate portions for me and for yourself as well.” The instruction highlights responsible hospitality—feeding dependents first—and careful, fair distribution of limited resources within the household/community.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Feed those who depend on you and ask for food first, and then distribute the remaining provisions promptly and fairly among the members of the group. The verse frames hospitality and equitable sharing as practical dharma.
A speaker (Vaiśampāyana) reports instructions about serving food to nearby dependents and then dividing the leftover portions among specific recipients (including a set of four brothers, the speaker, and the addressee), emphasizing orderly household management and ethical priority to the needy.