Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 11
Cyavana Explains His Tests; Kuśika Seeks Brāhmaṇya for His Line (च्यवन–कुशिक संवादः)
कुशिक उवाच भगवन् सहधर्मो<5यं पण्डितैरिह धार्यते । प्रदानकाले कनन््यानामुच्यते च सदा बुधैः
Kuśika uvāca—bhagavan, sahadharmo ’yaṃ paṇḍitair iha dhāryate | pradāna-kāle kanyānām ucyate ca sadā budhaiḥ ||
Sinabi ni Kushika: “O kagalang-galang, ang pantulong na tungkuling ito—ang paglilingkod sa panauhin—ay laging pinanghahawakan dito ng mga marurunong. At sa oras ng pag-aalay ng isang dalaga sa pag-aasawa, palagi rin itong itinatagubilin ng mga pantas.”
कुशिक उवाच
Educational Q&A
That hospitality (service to guests) is an essential supporting duty within dharma, consistently upheld by the learned and explicitly recommended even in key life-ritual contexts such as giving a daughter in marriage.
Kuśika addresses a revered authority, citing the consensus of scholars and the wise: the practice of an auxiliary dharma—identified in context as hospitality—is maintained in society and taught as a standing injunction, including during marriage-related rites.