Shloka 14
Atithi’s Direction to the Nāga-sage Padma at Naimiṣa (अतिथ्युपदेशः—नैमिषे पद्मनागोपाख्यानप्रस्तावः)
अग्नौ समिद्धे स जुहोति यो विद्वान् ब्राह्मण-मुखेनाहुतिं जुहोति,जो दिद्वान् ब्राह्मणके मुखरूपी अग्निमें अन्नकी आहुति देता है, वह मानो प्रज्वलित अग्निमें होम करता है
agnau samiddhe sa juhoti yo vidvān brāhmaṇa-mukhena āhutiṃ juhoti; yo vidvān brāhmaṇasya mukha-rūpiṇi agnau annasya āhutiṃ dadāti, sa manye prajvalite agnau homaṃ karoti.
Sinabi ni Arjuna: “Ang taong marunong ay tunay na naghahandog sa apoy na mahusay na nagliliyab kapag inihahandog niya ang alay sa pamamagitan ng bibig ng isang Brāhmaṇa. Sinumang may pag-unawa na nag-aalay ng pagkain bilang handog sa ‘apoy’ na siyang bibig ng Brāhmaṇa ay dapat ituring na parang nagbuhos ng alay sa naglalagablab na apoy ng paghahandog.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse equates feeding a worthy Brāhmaṇa with performing a formal fire-sacrifice: giving food as an offering is presented as a genuine yajña, emphasizing ethical giving and support of sacred learning as a high form of dharma.
Arjuna speaks in a didactic context within Śānti Parva, reflecting on the value of dāna and yajña. He states that offering food through the Brāhmaṇa’s mouth is like offering into a blazing fire, using sacrificial imagery to praise charitable giving.