Shloka 19
Ajagara-vrata (The ‘Python’ Discipline): Prahrāda Questions a Wandering Sage
सुवर्ण रजतं चैव मणीनथ च मौक्तिकान्,भारत! भोजनके पश्चात् ब्राह्मणोंके समक्ष बहुत-से सोने, चाँदी, मणि, मोती, बहुमूल्य हीरे, वैदूर्यमणि, रंकुमृगके चर्म तथा रत्नोंके कई ढेर लगाकर महाबली विरूपाक्षने उन श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणोंसे कहा--'द्विजवरो! आपलोग अपनी इच्छा और उत्साहके अनुसार इन रत्नोंको उठा ले जायेँ और जिनमें आपलोगोंने भोजन किया है, उन पात्रोंको भी अपने घर लेते जाये
suvarṇa-rajataṃ caiva maṇīn atha ca mauktikān | bhārata! bhojanake paścāt brāhmaṇānāṃ samakṣaṃ bahūni suvarṇa-rajatāni maṇi-mauktikāni bahumūlyāni hīrāṇi vaidūrya-maṇīṃś ca raṅku-mṛga-carmāṇi ratnāni ca bahudhā rāśīn nikṣipya mahābalī virūpākṣaḥ tān śreṣṭha-brāhmaṇān uvāca— “dvija-varāḥ! yathā-icchāṃ yathā-utsāhaṃ ca etāni ratnāni gṛhītvā nayata; yeṣu ca pātreṣu yuṣmābhiḥ bhuktaṃ, tāni pātrāṇy api sva-gṛhān nayata.”
Bhīṣma disse: “Ó Bhārata! Após a refeição, o poderoso Virūpākṣa amontoou diante dos brâmanes muitos montes de ouro e prata, gemas e pérolas—bem como diamantes de grande valor, pedras vaidūrya, a pele do cervo rangu e outros tesouros. Então dirigiu-se àqueles excelentes brâmanes: ‘Ó melhores entre os duas-vezes-nascidos! Levai estas joias conforme o vosso desejo e zelo; e levai também para vossas casas os próprios vasos de que comestes.’”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dāna-dharma: after honoring guests with food, one should give generously—without coercion and according to the recipients’ choice—showing reverence and detachment from wealth.
After feeding Brahmins, Virupaksha publicly lays out heaps of valuables and invites them to take what they wish, even allowing them to take the dining vessels home, emphasizing lavish hospitality and merit-making.