Shloka 66
पात्रलक्षण-परिक्षा (Pātra-Lakṣaṇa Parīkṣā) — Criteria for a Worthy Recipient
सर्वे ब्राह्मणमाविश्य सदान्नमुप भुठ्जते । सूर्य, चन्द्रमा, वायु, जल, पृथ्वी, आकाश और दिशा--इन सबके अधिष्ठाता देवता सदा ब्राह्मणके शरीरमें प्रवेश करके अन्न भोजन करते हैं
sarve brāhmaṇam āviśya sadā annam upabhuñjate | sūrya-candramā-vāyu-jala-pṛthvī-ākāśa-diśāṃ caiteṣām adhiṣṭhātṛ-devatāḥ sadā brāhmaṇasya śarīraṃ praviśya annam aśnanti ||
ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു— സൂര്യൻ, ചന്ദ്രൻ, വായു, ജലം, ഭൂമി, ആകാശം, ദിക്കുകൾ എന്നിവയുടെ അധിഷ്ഠാതൃദേവന്മാർ എല്ലാവരും സദാ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്റെ ശരീരത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ച് അന്നം ഉപഭോഗിക്കുന്നു.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Feeding and honoring a brāhmaṇa is portrayed as a dharmic act with cosmic reach: the presiding deities of fundamental elements and directions are said to dwell in him and thus receive the offering. The verse elevates hospitality and right giving (especially food) into a form of sustaining ṛta/dharma.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma (Anuśāsana Parva), he explains to the listener that deities associated with the sun, moon, wind, water, earth, space, and the directions enter the brāhmaṇa’s body and partake of food—supporting the broader exhortation to practice hospitality and charitable feeding.