Shloka 936
Brāhmaṇa-vandana: Criteria for Veneration, Disciplined Speech, and Protective Kingship (अनुशासनपर्व, अध्याय ८)
ये चापि सतत राजंस्तेभ्यश्व स्पृहयाम्यहम् । राजा युधिष्ठिर! जो पवित्र होकर ब्राह्मणोंको उनकी तृप्तिके लिये शुद्ध और अच्छे ढंगसे तैयार किये हुए पवित्र तथा गुणकारक अन्न परोसते हैं
ye cāpi satataṁ rājan tebhyaś ca spṛhayāmy aham | rājā yudhiṣṭhira! ye pavitrā bhūtvā brāhmaṇānāṁ tṛptaye śuddhaṁ suśobhanaṁ ca vidhinā saṁskṛtaṁ pavitraṁ guṇakārakam annaṁ pariveṣayanti tān api ahaṁ sadā kāṅkṣe |
ये चापि सततं राजंस्तेभ्यश्च स्पृहयाम्यहम् । राजन् युधिष्ठिर! ये स्वयम् शुचयः सन्तो ब्राह्मणानां तृप्त्यर्थं शुद्धं सुसंस्कृतं पवित्रं गुणकरं चान्नं सम्यक् परिष्कृत्य परोसन्ति, तेऽपि मे नित्यं प्रिया भवन्ति ॥
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma praises the dharmic value of anna-dāna done with inner and outer purity: becoming purified oneself and serving Brahmins with clean, properly prepared, sanctified food for their satisfaction is presented as a virtue-producing act worthy of esteem.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma addresses King Yudhishthira and identifies a class of righteous people—those who respectfully feed Brahmins with pure, well-prepared food—saying he continually values and approves of them.