Shloka 14

ययाति–अष्टक–प्रतर्दन संवादः | Yayāti’s Dialogue with Aṣṭaka and Pratardana on Merit, Gifts, and Ethical Restraint

Devanagari script

अतिथीन्‌ पूजयामास वन्येन हविषा विभु: । शिलोज्छवृत्तिमास्थाय शेषान्नकृतभोजन:,वे राजा शिलोज्छवृत्तिका आश्रय ले यज्ञशेष अन्नका भोजन करते थे। भोजनसे पूर्व वनमें उपलब्ध होनेवाले फल, मूल आदि हविष्यके द्वारा अतिथियोंका आदर-सत्कार करते थे

Transliteration

atithīn pūjayāmāsa vanyena haviṣā vibhuḥ | śilocchavṛttim āsthāya śeṣānna-kṛta-bhojanaḥ ||

Translation

విభువైన రాజు వన్య హవిష్యములతో—ఫలమూలాదులతో—అతిథులను పూజించెను. శిలోచ్ఛవృత్తిని ఆశ్రయించి, తాను యజ్ఞశేషాన్నమే భుజించెను.

Word by Word

अतिथीन्guests

पूजयामासhonoured / worshipped

वन्येनwith forest-produced (things)

हविषाwith oblation / sacrificial offering

विभुःthe mighty one (king)

शिलोज्छवृत्तिम्the mode of living by gleaning (picking up grains like stones)

आस्थायhaving adopted / resorted to

शेषान्नकृतभोजनःone whose eating was done (only) of the remaining food (after offerings)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

atithi (guests)

havis (offering/oblation)

forest produce (fruits, roots)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Hospitality and self-discipline are central: one should honor guests first with whatever is honestly available, live simply without hoarding, and accept one’s own share only after serving others—reflecting a yajña-like ethic in daily life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a virtuous figure who lives by śiloccha (minimal, non-accumulative subsistence). He welcomes guests with forest-produce offered as haviṣ, and he eats afterward, taking only the remaining food.