Virūpākṣa’s Dāna and Gautama’s Burden — the approach of Rājadharma
भक्ष्यं पेयमथालेहां यच्चान्यत् साधु भोजनम् । प्रेक्षमाणेषु यो5श्रीयान्रशंसमिति त॑ वदेत्
bhakṣyaṃ peyam athālehāṃ yac cānyat sādhu bhojanam | prekṣamāṇeṣu yo 'śrīyān raśaṃsam iti taṃ vadet ||
ビーシュマは言った。「固い食物であれ、飲み物であれ、舐めて味わう甘味であれ、その他いかなる上等の馳走であれ—人々が見ている前で最上の取り分を独り占めして食らう者は、『ニリシャṃサ(nṛśaṃsa)』、すなわち残酷で卑しい心の者と呼ぶべきである。」
भीष्म उवाच
Hoarding the best food for oneself in front of others is condemned as nṛśaṃsatā—cruel, ignoble conduct. The verse upholds generosity, consideration for others, and restraint as marks of dharmic behavior.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Bhishma is teaching Yudhishthira ethical norms. Here he gives a concrete example: a person who consumes the choicest food alone while others watch is to be morally censured.