Shloka 44
अनुशासनपर्व अध्याय ९३ — तपस्, सदोपवास, विघसाशन, अतिथिप्रियता
Austerity, regulated fasting, residual-eating, and hospitality
यथोषरे बीजमुप्तं न रोहे- न्न चावप्ता प्राप्तुयाद् बीजभागम् | एवं श्राद्ध भुक्तमनर्हमाणै- न चेह नामुत्र फलं ददाति
yathoṣare bījam uptaṁ na rohe(n) na cāvaptā prāpnuyād bījabhāgam | evaṁ śrāddha-bhuktam anarha-māṇaiḥ na ceha nāmutra phalaṁ dadāti ||
ビーシュマは言った。「荒れた塩気の地に播かれた種が芽吹かず、播いた者にも何の実りも返さぬように、シュラーダの食が不相応の者に食されるなら、この世にも来世にも益をもたらさない。儀礼は、受けるにふさわしい者を見極めて捧げるときにのみ果を結ぶ。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual acts like śrāddha yield merit only when performed with proper discernment; offerings given to unworthy recipients are compared to sowing seed in barren soil—no spiritual or worldly fruit results.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he explains the conditions under which śrāddha becomes effective, using an agricultural analogy to warn that feeding unfit recipients nullifies the intended benefit for the performer and the ancestors.