Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 98
आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
पानीयं पायसं सक्तून् दथिसर्पिमि धून्यपि । निरस्य शेषमन्येषां न प्रदेयं तु कस्यचित्,पानी, खीर, सत्तू, दही, घी और मधु--इन सबको छोड़कर अन्य भक्ष्य पदार्थोंका अवशिष्ट भाग दूसरे किसीको नहीं देना चाहिये
pānīyaṃ pāyasaṃ saktūn dadhisarpi-madhūny api | nirasya śeṣam anyeṣāṃ na pradeyaṃ tu kasyacit ||
ພີສະມະກ່າວວ່າ: «ນ້ຳ, ເຂົ້ານົມຫວານ (ພາຍະສະ), ແປ້ງຄົວລົ້ວ/ສັດຕູ, ນົມສົ້ມ (ດະທິ), ນ້ຳມັນເນີຍ (ຄີ) ແລະ ນ້ຳເຜິ້ງ—ຂອງເຫຼົ່ານີ້ອາດແຍກໄວ້ແລ້ວໃຫ້ໄດ້. ແຕ່ເສດເຫຼືອຂອງອາຫານອື່ນໆ ບໍ່ຄວນນຳໄປໃຫ້ໃຜ».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should not distribute leftover portions of ordinary foods, as this can violate standards of purity and respect in giving; only certain items (water, payasa, sattu, curd, ghee, honey) are treated as acceptable exceptions in this rule.
In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma is instructing Yudhishthira on dharma. Here he gives a specific guideline about food-giving etiquette: what may be offered and what should not be offered when it is a remainder (śeṣa).