Shloka 20
Adharma’s Short-Lived Prosperity and the Restorative Path of Tīrtha (लोमश–युधिष्ठिर संवादः)
ते सर्वे विनिवर्तन्तां ये च मिष्टभुजो द्विजा: । पक््वान्नलेहापानानां मांसानां च विकल्पका:,जो द्विज मिष्टान्नभोजी हैं वे भी लौट जायँ। जो पक्वान्न, चटनी, पेय पदार्थ और मांस आदि खानेवाले मनुष्य हों, वे भी लौट जायूँ
te sarve vinivartantāṃ ye ca miṣṭabhujo dvijāḥ | pakvānna-lehāpānānāṃ māṃsānāṃ ca vikalpakāḥ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira disse: “Que todos eles voltem—também os brāhmaṇas afeitos a comidas doces. E que retornem igualmente os que escolhem e buscam variedades de pratos cozidos, condimentos, bebidas e carnes.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes fitness for a disciplined religious or ethical undertaking: those attached to rich foods and variety should withdraw, since indulgence undermines austerity, focus, and the integrity of the group’s dharmic purpose.
Yudhiṣṭhira issues a practical directive about who should proceed and who should turn back, identifying people—especially brahmins—who are inclined toward sweet and luxurious foods (cooked dishes, relishes, drinks, meat) as unsuitable for the austere conditions of the intended journey or rite.