Shloka 22
Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: Abhaya, Anugraha, and the Ethics of Honoring the Worthy (दानश्रेष्ठता: अभय-अनुग्रह-विप्रपूजा)
भोजनं च समानाय्य यत् तदा दीपितं मया । क्रुद्धयेथा यदि मात्सर्यादिति तन्मर्षितं च मे
bhojanaṃ ca samānāyya yat tadā dīpitaṃ mayā | kruddhyethā yadi mātsaryād iti tan marṣitaṃ ca me ||
“Dan ketika aku menyuruh makanan dibawa lalu aku membakarnya, itu pun menyembunyikan niat yang sama: agar kerana iri hati engkau akan marah kepadaku. Namun bahkan perlakuanku itu pun engkau tanggung dengan sabar.”
च्यवन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣamā (forbearance) and mastery over anger: even when provoked through deliberate insult meant to trigger jealousy, the virtuous response is restraint and endurance rather than retaliation.
Cyavana explains that he intentionally staged a provocation—having food brought and then burning it—to see whether the other person would react with jealous anger. He notes that the provocation failed because the other person tolerated his conduct.