Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 101
Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption
पायसं चोरयित्वा तु तित्तिरित्वमवाप्तुते हृत्वा पिष्टमयं पूपं कुम्भोलूक: प्रजायते,खीरकी चोरी करनेवाला तीतरकी योनिमें जन्म लेता है। आटेका पूआ चुराकर मनुष्य मरनेके बाद उल्लू होता है
pāyasaṃ corayitvā tu tittiritvam avāpnute | hṛtvā piṣṭamayaṃ pūpaṃ kumbholūkaḥ prajāyate ||
Ang magnakaw ng pāyasa (matamis na kaning may gatas) ay isisilang na partridge. At ang magnakaw ng kakaning gawa sa harina ay isisilang na kuwago pagkamatay.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches asteya (non-stealing) by illustrating that theft leads to karmic retribution, here described as rebirth into specific animal forms, emphasizing that even seemingly small thefts carry moral and spiritual consequences.
In a didactic exchange within the Anuśāsana Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira states examples of karmic results: stealing pāyasa leads to partridge-birth, and stealing a flour-cake leads to owl-birth, as part of a broader discussion on conduct and the fruits of actions.