Shloka 17
मांसपरिवर्जन-प्रशंसा (Praise of Abstention from Meat) / Ethics of Ahiṃsā in Diet and Rite
(भैक्ष्येणापि समाहृत्य दद्यादन्नं द्विजेषु वै । सुवर्णदानात् पापानि नश्यन्ति सुबहून्यपि ।।
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
bhaikṣyeṇāpi samāhṛtya dadyād annaṃ dvijeṣu vai |
suvarṇadānāt pāpāni naśyanti subahūny api ||
dattvā vṛttikarīṃ bhūmiṃ pātakenāpi mucyate |
pārāyaṇaiḥ purāṇānāṃ mucyate pātakaiḥ dvijaḥ ||
gāyatryāś caiva lakṣeṇa gosahasrasya tarpaṇāt |
vedārthaṃ jñāpayitvā tu śuddhān viprān yathārthataḥ ||
sarvatyāgādibhiś cāpi mucyate pātakair dvijaḥ |
sarvātithyaṃ paro dharmo tasmād annaṃ paraṃ smṛtam ||
ahiṃsan brāhmaṇasvānī nyāyena paripālya ca |
kṣatriyas tarasā prāptam annaṃ yo vai prayacchati |
dharmātmā pāṇḍunandana!
ユディシュティラは言った。「たとえ托鉢で得た食であっても、二度生まれし者たちに食を施すべきである。黄金を施せば、多くの罪もまた滅する。生計を立てうる土地を施せば、重い罪からさえ解き放たれ、プラーナを誦することによってもブラーフマナは罪を離れる。ガーヤトリーを十万遍唱え、千頭の牛を満たし、清浄なるブラーフマナたちにヴェーダの義を正しく教え、さらには一切を捨てるような行いによっても、二度生まれし者は罪を免れる。されど諸々のうち最上のダルマは、万人へのもてなしである。ゆえに食は至上の施しと記憶される。さらに、ブラーフマナの財を侵さず、正しく民を護り、自らの武勇によって得た食を、ヴェーダに通じたブラーフマナたちへ、清らかに心を収めて捧げるクシャトリヤは――おお、法を体するパーンドゥの子よ――その施食の力によって、過去の罪を滅ぼし尽くす。」
युधिछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage ranks various expiatory and meritorious acts—gold-giving, land-giving, Purāṇa recitation, Gāyatrī-japa, satisfying cows, teaching Vedic meaning, and renunciation—but concludes that universal hospitality through giving food (anna-dāna) is the highest dharma, especially when earned and offered righteously.
In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Yudhiṣṭhira speaks about how sins are mitigated through righteous gifts and religious practices, emphasizing the ethical ideal of a just kṣatriya who protects subjects, avoids violating brāhmaṇa property, and supports learned brāhmaṇas through pure food-gifts.