Shloka 18
धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्
Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct
शूद्रान्न गहितं देवि सदा देवैर्महात्मभि: । पितामहमुखोत्सृष्ट प्रमाणमिति मे मति:
śūdrānnaṃ gāhitaṃ devi sadā devair mahātmabhiḥ | pitāmaha-mukhotsṛṣṭaṃ pramāṇam iti me matiḥ ||
اے دیوی! دیوتاؤں اور عظیم النفس رشیوں نے ہمیشہ شودر کے کھانے کو ناپسند اور قابلِ مذمت کہا ہے۔ اس معاملے میں پِتامہ برہما کے دہنِ مبارک سے نکلا ہوا قول ہی میرے نزدیک حجتِ قاطع ہے۔
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts that in questions of conduct (here, food-related norms), one should rely on recognized authority (pramāṇa), specifically the pronouncement attributed to Brahmā, and it presents a traditional stance that certain foods are censured within that normative framework.
Śrī Mahēśvara addresses the Devī and states his settled view: that gods and great sages have long criticized “Śūdra-associated food,” and that Brahmā’s utterance is the decisive authority for this claim.