Shloka 27

मांसपरिवर्जन-प्रशंसा (Praise of Abstention from Meat) / Ethics of Ahiṃsā in Diet and Rite

Devanagari script

यतेद्‌ ब्राह्मणपूर्व हि भोक्तुमन्नं गृही सदा । अवन्ध्यं दिवसं कुर्यादन्नदानेन मानव:

Transliteration

yated brāhmaṇa-pūrvaṁ hi bhoktum annaṁ gṛhī sadā | avandhyaṁ divasaṁ kuryād anna-dānena mānavaḥ ||

Translation

गृहस्थाने नेहमी प्रथम ब्राह्मणास भोजन घालून मग स्वतः भोजन करावे, असा प्रयत्न करावा. अन्नदानाने मनुष्याने प्रत्येक दिवस सफल व सार्थ करावा.

Word by Word

• यतेत्: should strive/should endeavor
• यतेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: यत् (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-lin (optative), Present-system, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ब्राह्मणपूर्वम्: with the Brahmin first / first (having fed) a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणपूर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्मण + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• भोक्तुम्: to eat
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: Tumun (infinitive)

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गृही: householder
• गृही: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• अवन्ध्यम्: fruitful/not wasted
• अवन्ध्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवन्ध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दिवसम्: day
• दिवसम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कुर्यात्: should make/should render
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-lin (optative), Present-system, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अन्नदानेन: by giving food (alms)
• अन्नदानेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्नदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• मानवः: a man/person
• मानवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• brāhmaṇa
• gṛhastha (householder)
• anna (food)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches gṛhastha-dharma: a householder should prioritize hospitality and food-charity—symbolically placing service to worthy recipients (here, a brāhmaṇa) before personal consumption—so that each day becomes spiritually meaningful rather than wasted.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused setting, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a practical rule of conduct for householders, emphasizing daily discipline in giving food and honoring guests/recipients before attending to oneself.