Shloka 20

एकान्तिधर्म-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into Ekāntin Dharma) / The Origin and Practice of Single-Pointed Nārāyaṇa-Centered Discipline

Devanagari script

पितृशेषेण विप्रांश्न संविभज्यश्रितांश्व॒ सः । शेषान्नभुक्‌ सत्यपर: सर्वभूतेष्वहिंसक:

Transliteration

pitṛ-śeṣeṇa viprān saṁvibhajya āśritāṁś ca saḥ | śeṣānna-bhuk satya-paraḥ sarva-bhūteṣv ahiṁsakaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: Từ phần còn lại sau khi cúng tế tổ tiên, ông trước hết phân chia cho các Bà-la-môn và những người nương tựa mình; rồi sau đó mới ăn phần cơm còn lại. Ông chuyên tâm nơi chân thật và thực hành bất bạo động đối với mọi loài—một khuôn mẫu của nếp nhà có kỷ luật, trong đó phần hưởng của bản thân đứng sau cùng, sau khi đã kính thần, kính tổ, và đãi khách.

Word by Word

• पितृशेषेण: by/with the remainder (left) for the Pitṛs
• पितृशेषेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ-शेष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विप्रान्: Brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• संविभज्य: having distributed / after apportioning
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√भज्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• आश्रितान्: dependents; those who have taken refuge
• आश्रितान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शेषान्नभुक्: one who eats only the remaining food
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष-अन्न-भुज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यपरः: devoted to truth
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य-पर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वभूतेषु: towards/in regard to all beings
• सर्वभूतेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-भूत
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• अहिंसकः: non-violent; not harming
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहिंसक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Brahmins (vipras)
• Dependents/guests (āśritas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should prioritize dharmic distribution—honoring ancestors and supporting Brahmins and dependents—before personal consumption, while remaining steadfast in truth and non-violence toward all beings.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes the conduct of a righteous person who, after completing ritual obligations, distributes the remaining food to Brahmins and dependents and only then eats what is left, embodying satya (truth) and ahiṁsā (non-harm).