Shloka 16
मांसपरिवर्जन-प्रशंसा (Praise of Abstention from Meat) / Ethics of Ahiṃsā in Diet and Rite
भैक्ष्येणान्नं समाहृत्य विप्रो वेदपुरस्कृत: । स्वाध्यायनिरते विप्रे दत््तेह सुखमेधते,वेदज्ञ ब्राह्मण भिक्षासे अन्न लाकर यदि स्वाध्याय-परायण विप्रको दान देता है तो इस लोकमें सुखी होता है
bhaikṣyeṇānnaṃ samāhṛtya vipro vedapuraskṛtaḥ | svādhyāyanirate vipre datteha sukham edhate ||
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Apabila seorang brāhmaṇa yang menjunjung Veda sebagai pedoman mengumpulkan makanan melalui sedekah, lalu menghadiahkan makanan itu kepada brāhmaṇa lain yang tekun dalam pengajian Veda, dia akan berkembang dalam kebahagiaan di dunia ini.”
युधिछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Food obtained through humble alms, when given as charity to a brāhmaṇa devoted to Vedic study, becomes a dharmic gift that yields happiness and well-being in this life; the verse praises supporting learning and spiritual discipline through dāna.
In Anuśāsana Parva’s discourse on dharma and gifts, Yudhiṣṭhira states a specific meritorious act: a Veda-guided brāhmaṇa collects alms and then donates that food to another brāhmaṇa engaged in svādhyāya, describing the worldly fruit of such giving as happiness.