Shloka 12
मांसपरिवर्जन-प्रशंसा (Praise of Abstention from Meat) / Ethics of Ahiṃsā in Diet and Rite
अन्न मनुष्योंका प्राण है, अन्नसे ही प्राणीका जन्म होता है, अन्नके ही आधारपर सारा संसार टिका हुआ है। इसलिये अन्न सबसे उत्तम माना गया है ।।
annaṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ prāṇaḥ; annād eva prāṇino janma bhavati; annādhāraṁ hi sarvaṁ jagat. tasmād annaṁ paramam iti manyate. annaṁ eva praśaṁsanti devarṣi-pitṛ-mānavāḥ. annasya hi pradānena rantidevo divaṁ gataḥ.
尤提士提罗宣示：食物即是人之生命；众生由食而生，整个世界亦依食而立。故食被视为至上的布施。诸天、仙圣、祖灵与世人皆称赞食物；因为正凭施食，阑提提婆王得升天界——由此可见，以滋养扶持他人乃是最为卓越的达摩之行。
युधिछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Food (anna) is the foundation of life and society; therefore feeding others is among the highest forms of charity and dharma, praised by gods, sages, ancestors, and humans, and it yields great spiritual merit.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma and gifts, Yudhiṣṭhira emphasizes the supremacy of anna-dāna and cites King Rantideva as an exemplar whose heavenward attainment is attributed to the donation of food.