Shloka 13
कुण्डधारोपाख्यानम्
Kuṇḍadhāra-Upākhyāna: Dharma’s Superiority over Wealth and Desire
भोज्यमन्नं वदान्यस्य कदर्यस्य न वार्धुषे:
bhojyam annaṃ vadānyasya kadaryasya na vārdhuṣeḥ
Bhīṣma nói: “Thực phẩm đáng dùng nên nhận từ người rộng lòng; chớ nhận từ kẻ keo kiệt, vì nó không thật sự nuôi dưỡng, cũng chẳng đem lại sự tăng trưởng lành mạnh.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches discernment in accepting support: sustenance (especially food) carries the moral quality of its source. What comes from generosity is considered wholesome and beneficial, while what comes from miserliness is viewed as ethically tainted and not truly conducive to well-being.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhīṣma continues advising on ethical living. Here he gives a practical rule about receiving food: prefer what is offered by the generous and avoid dependence on the miserly.