Shloka 19
धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्
Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct
शूद्रान्नेनावशेषेण जठरे यो म्रियेद् द्विज: । आहिताग्निस्तथा यज्वा स शूद्रगतिभाग् भवेत्
śūdrānnenāvaśeṣeṇa jaṭhare yo mriyed dvijaḥ | āhitāgnis tathā yajvā sa śūdragatibhāg bhavet ||
ಶೂದ್ರನ ಅನ್ನದ ಅವಶೇಷ ಜಠರದಲ್ಲೇ ಇರುವಾಗ ಮರಣಿಸುವ ದ್ವಿಜನು, ಅವನು ಆಹಿತಾಗ್ನಿಯಾಗಿರಲಿ ಅಥವಾ ಯಜ್ಞಕರ್ತನಾಗಿರಲಿ—ಶೂದ್ರಗತಿಯ ಪಾಲುದಾರನಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ.
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts that ritual status (being an āhitāgni or yajvā) does not override the karmic and dharmic consequences of violating prescribed conduct regarding food and purity; one’s end-state and rebirth are shaped by adherence to ācāra as well as ritual performance.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s didactic setting, Maheśvara is delivering a rule-like instruction about the consequences for a dvija who dies after consuming (and still retaining) food deemed improper by the text’s purity norms, stating that such a person attains a Śūdra-associated destiny despite prior sacrificial credentials.