Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 97
आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
प्रजानाथ! बुद्धिमान् पुरुष पहले अतिथिको अन्न और जल देकर पीछे स्वयं एकाग्रचित्त हो भोजन करे ।।
Prajānātha! buddhimān puruṣaḥ pūrvam atithaye annaṁ jalaṁ ca dattvā paścāt svayam ekāgracitto bhojanaṁ kuryāt. Samānam ekapaṅktyāṁ tu bhojyam annaṁ nareśvara; viṣaṁ hālāhalaṁ bhuṅkte yo ’pradāya suhṛjjane.
Sinabi ni Bhīṣma: “O panginoon ng mga tao! Ang marunong ay dapat munang magbigay ng pagkain at tubig sa panauhin, at saka lamang kumain nang may natitipong diwa. At, O hari, kapag ang mga tao’y nakaupo sa iisang hanay sa pagkain, dapat pantay ang paghahain sa lahat. Ang sinumang kumakain nang mag-isa na hindi nagbibigay sa mga kaibigang may mabuting hangarin, tunay na lumulunok ng nakamamatay na lasong Hālāhala.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Hospitality and fairness in sharing are essential duties: feed the guest first, then eat with a focused mind; and when dining together, serve equally—eating alone without giving to companions is condemned as morally poisonous.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma addresses the king and lays down conduct for meals—prioritizing the guest, maintaining mental discipline while eating, and enforcing equal distribution among those seated together—using the vivid image of Hālāhala poison to censure selfish consumption.