Shloka 21
धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्
Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct
यस्यान्नेनावशेषेण जठरटरे यो म्रियेद् द्विज: । तांतांयोनिं व्रजेद् विप्रो यस्यान्नमुपजीवति
yasyānnenāvaśeṣeṇa jaṭharaṭare yo mriyed dvijaḥ | tāṁ tāṁ yoniṁ vrajed vipro yasyānnam upajīvati ||
ज्याच्या अन्नाचा उरलेला अंश पोटात राहिलेला असताना जो द्विज मरतो, तो त्याच्याच योनित जातो; ज्याच्या अन्नावर तो उपजीविका करतो, त्याच्याच योनित तो जन्म घेतो।
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
One’s dependence on another’s food—especially consuming leftovers—creates karmic bondage: at death, the consumer is said to attain a rebirth corresponding to the provider’s yoni, emphasizing purity and independence in livelihood and the moral seriousness of what and from whom one eats.
Śrīmaheśvara is instructing about the consequences of food-related conduct and dependence. The statement functions as a dharma-lesson: the act of living on another’s remnants is not merely social impropriety but a karmically determinative relationship affecting one’s next birth.