Shloka 20
Manoḥ Carita
The Account of Manu Vaivasvata and the Mātsyaka Flood Narrative
अतिथीनन्नपानेन भृत्यानत्यशनेन च । सम्भोज्य शेषमश्नीमस्तस्मान्मृत्युभयं न न:,'ब्राह्मणोंके जो शुभ कर्म हैं, उन्हींकी हम चर्चा करते हैं। उनके दोषोंका बखान नहीं करते हैं। इसलिये हमें मृत्युसे भय नहीं है। हम अतिथियोंको अन्न और जलसे तृप्त करते हैं। हमारे ऊपर जिनके भरण-पोषणका भार है, उन्हें हम पूरा भोजन देते हैं और उन्हें भोजन करानेसे बचा हुआ अन्न हम स्वयं भोजन करते हैं, अतः हमें मृत्युसे भय नहीं है
atithīn annapānena bhṛtyān atyaśanena ca | sambhojya śeṣam aśnīmas tasmān mṛtyu-bhayaṃ na naḥ ||
Mārkaṇḍeya said: “We satisfy our guests with food and water, and we fully feed those dependents whose maintenance rests upon us. After feeding them, we ourselves eat only what remains. Therefore, we have no fear of death.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Fearlessness (even regarding death) is grounded in dharmic living—especially atithi-satkara (honoring guests) and responsible care of dependents—where one eats only after others are properly served.
Mārkaṇḍeya explains a household ethic: guests are first satisfied with food and drink, dependents are fully fed, and only then does the speaker’s household consume the remainder—presented as the reason they feel no fear of death.