Shloka 27

मांसपरिवर्जन-प्रशंसा (Praise of Abstention from Meat) / Ethics of Ahiṃsā in Diet and Rite

Devanagari script

यतेद्‌ ब्राह्मणपूर्व हि भोक्तुमन्नं गृही सदा । अवन्ध्यं दिवसं कुर्यादन्नदानेन मानव:

Transliteration

yated brāhmaṇa-pūrvaṁ hi bhoktum annaṁ gṛhī sadā | avandhyaṁ divasaṁ kuryād anna-dānena mānavaḥ ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira nói: “Người gia chủ hãy luôn cố gắng chỉ dùng bữa sau khi đã cho một brāhmaṇa ăn trước. Bằng việc bố thí thức ăn, hãy làm cho mỗi ngày trở nên hữu ích, không uổng phí.”

Word by Word

• यतेत्: should strive/should endeavor
• यतेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: यत् (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-lin (optative), Present-system, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ब्राह्मणपूर्वम्: with the Brahmin first / first (having fed) a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणपूर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्मण + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• भोक्तुम्: to eat
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: Tumun (infinitive)

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गृही: householder
• गृही: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• अवन्ध्यम्: fruitful/not wasted
• अवन्ध्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवन्ध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दिवसम्: day
• दिवसम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कुर्यात्: should make/should render
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-lin (optative), Present-system, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अन्नदानेन: by giving food (alms)
• अन्नदानेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्नदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• मानवः: a man/person
• मानवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• brāhmaṇa
• gṛhastha (householder)
• anna (food)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches gṛhastha-dharma: a householder should prioritize hospitality and food-charity—symbolically placing service to worthy recipients (here, a brāhmaṇa) before personal consumption—so that each day becomes spiritually meaningful rather than wasted.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused setting, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a practical rule of conduct for householders, emphasizing daily discipline in giving food and honoring guests/recipients before attending to oneself.