Shloka 19
Ajagara-vrata (The ‘Python’ Discipline): Prahrāda Questions a Wandering Sage
सुवर्ण रजतं चैव मणीनथ च मौक्तिकान्
suvarṇa-rajataṃ caiva maṇīn atha ca mauktikān | bhārata! bhojanake paścāt brāhmaṇānāṃ samakṣaṃ bahūni suvarṇa-rajatāni maṇi-mauktikāni bahumūlyāni hīrāṇi vaidūrya-maṇīṃś ca raṅku-mṛga-carmāṇi ratnāni ca bahudhā rāśīn nikṣipya mahābalī virūpākṣaḥ tān śreṣṭha-brāhmaṇān uvāca— “dvija-varāḥ! yathā-icchāṃ yathā-utsāhaṃ ca etāni ratnāni gṛhītvā nayata; yeṣu ca pātreṣu yuṣmābhiḥ bhuktaṃ, tāni pātrāṇy api sva-gṛhān nayata.”
ビーシュマは語った。「おお、バーラタよ。食後、剛勇のヴィルーパークシャ（Virūpākṣa）は婆羅門たちの前に、黄金と白銀、宝石と真珠を幾重にも積み上げ、さらに高価な金剛石、ヴァイドゥーリヤ（vaidūrya）の宝石、ラング鹿（rangu deer）の皮、その他の財宝をも並べた。ついで彼はその優れた婆羅門たちに告げた。『二度生まれの中の最勝者たちよ。望みと熱意のままにこれらの宝玉を持ち去れ。さらに、汝らが食したその器までも家へ携えてゆけ。』」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dāna-dharma: after honoring guests with food, one should give generously—without coercion and according to the recipients’ choice—showing reverence and detachment from wealth.
After feeding Brahmins, Virupaksha publicly lays out heaps of valuables and invites them to take what they wish, even allowing them to take the dining vessels home, emphasizing lavish hospitality and merit-making.