Shloka 21
Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: On the Superiority of Giving
Maitreya–Vyāsa Exemplum
भृत्यातिथिजनश्चवापि गृहे पर्यशितो मया । मात्सर्यात् स्वादुकामेन नृशंसेन बुभुक्षता
bhṛtyātithijanaś cāpi gṛhe paryaśito mayā | mātsaryāt svādukāmena nṛśaṃsena bubhukṣatā ||
ຂ້ອຍກິນອິ່ມຢູ່ໃນເຮືອນ ແມ່ນແຕ່ມີຄົນໃຊ້, ແຂກ, ແລະຜູ້ພຶ່ງພາຢູ່ຕໍ່ໜ້າ. ເພາະຄວາມອິດສາ, ປາຖະໜາແຕ່ຄວາມແຊບ, ແລະຈິດໃຈທີ່ແຂງກະດ້າງດ້ວຍຄວາມໂຫດຮ້າຍແລະຄວາມຫິວ, ຂ້ອຍກິນໂດຍບໍ່ໄດ້ໃຫ້ອາຫານແກ່ຜູ້ທີ່ມາຫາເຮືອນ ແລະຜູ້ທີ່ພຶ່ງພາຂ້ອຍກ່ອນ.
कीट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse condemns selfish consumption and emphasizes atithi-dharma: one should feed guests, dependents, and those under one’s care before satisfying one’s own appetite. Envy and mere taste-craving are shown as ethical failings that lead to cruelty.
Kīṭa speaks in confession, admitting past wrongdoing: he would eat at home without offering food to guests and dependents, motivated by jealousy and the desire for tasty food, revealing moral decline and remorse.