Shloka 17
Agastya-Māhātmya and Vasiṣṭha’s Protection of the Ādityas
Khalina Daityas; Sarayū Etiology
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं न भोक्तव्यं कदाचन
asatkṛtam avajñātaṃ na bhoktavyaṃ kadācana | yaḥ kalaṅkita-manuṣyasyānnaṃ gṛhṇāti taṃ raktakuṇḍaṃ pracakṣate | yaś ca piśunasyānnaṃ bhuṅkte tasya tad-bhojanaṃ brahmahatyāsamaṃ matam | asatkārāvamānāpūrvaṃ labdhaṃ bhojyaṃ na kadācana ||
ビーシュマは言った。「不敬と侮蔑をもって差し出された食は、決して口にしてはならぬ。徳を汚した者の食を受ける者は『血の穴』に落ちると言われる。また、讒言を業とし言葉を運んで生きる者の家で食する者は、その食が婆羅門殺しの罪に等しいと見なされる。ゆえに、侮辱と屈辱によって得られた食は、決して受け取ってはならぬ。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Food is not morally neutral: accepting or eating food offered with contempt, or from a person of corrupt character (especially a slanderer), is portrayed as spiritually harmful. One should protect one’s dharma by refusing such food, even if it is otherwise available.
In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and right conduct. Here he gives a strict ethical rule about hospitality and acceptance of food, warning that eating from dishonourable or malicious sources brings grave demerit.