Shloka 17
Rules of Edible and Inedible Foods
एते शूद्रेषु भोज्यान्ना यश्चात्मानं निवेदयेत् । कुशीलवः कुंभकश्च क्षेत्रकर्मक एव च
ete śūdreṣu bhojyānnā yaścātmānaṃ nivedayet | kuśīlavaḥ kuṃbhakaśca kṣetrakarmaka eva ca
Среди шудр пищу дозволено принимать от тех, кто посвящает себя служению, от певца-исполнителя (кушилава), от гончара (кумбхака) и от полевого работника (кшетракармака).
Unspecified (context-dependent within Svargakhaṇḍa 56)
Concept: Rules of bhojya-anna (acceptable food) are given with occupational/social qualifiers, emphasizing regulated acceptance (pratigraha) and perceived purity standards.
Application: When receiving hospitality or charity, apply discernment and gratitude; prioritize ethical livelihood and clean preparation; recognize historical context and avoid weaponizing purity rules against persons.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A didactic tableau showing four working figures—bard with a small drum, potter at a wheel, field-worker with a plough, and a humble servant offering himself in service—while a learned elder indicates which offerings may be accepted. The scene is calm and instructional, emphasizing social roles and the ethics of receiving food.","primary_figures":["a learned elder (buddha/ācārya figure)","kuśīlava (bard/performer)","kuṃbhaka (potter)","kṣetrakarmaka (field-worker)","a servant in self-dedication (ātma-nivedana)"],"setting":"a village edge with a small teaching pavilion; potter’s wheel, field beyond, and a shaded platform for instruction","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["earth red","clay orange","leaf green","cotton white","ink black"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: instructional village scene with gold leaf accents on the elder’s seat and teaching staff, richly colored garments, potter’s wheel and field tools rendered ornamentally, clear iconographic separation of the four occupations, traditional South Indian decorative borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle rural panorama with delicate figures, the bard holding a drum, potter shaping a pot, field-worker near crops, soft greens and browns, refined facial expressions, a teacher gesturing in explanation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, simplified occupational emblems (drum, wheel, plough), the elder centered, warm red-yellow-green palette, stylized trees and pavilion, emphasis on didactic clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: occupational vignettes arranged in panels with floral borders, lotus motifs, deep blue background with gold highlights, cows and village flora at margins, the elder as central medallion figure indicating acceptable offerings."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["distant potter wheel hum","field birds","soft drum taps","village ambience"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भोज्यान्ना = भोज्याः + अन्नाः; यश्चात्मानं = यः + च + आत्मानम्; कुंभकश्च = कुंभकः + च.
FAQs
It lists specific categories among Śūdras from whom food is considered acceptable (bhojyānna), highlighting service-mindedness and certain livelihoods.
It implies dedicating oneself—i.e., offering oneself in sincere service or commitment—presented as a qualifying ethical trait.
Kuśīlava is a bard/performer, kuṃbhaka is a potter, and kṣetrakarmaka is one who works in the fields (agricultural labor).