Shloka 13
कुण्डधारोपाख्यानम्
Kuṇḍadhāra-Upākhyāna: Dharma’s Superiority over Wealth and Desire
भोज्यमन्नं वदान्यस्य कदर्यस्य न वार्धुषे:
bhojyam annaṃ vadānyasya kadaryasya na vārdhuṣeḥ
毗湿摩说：“可食之粮，当受之于慷慨施者；不可取之于吝啬之人，因为那并不能真正滋养，也不带来吉祥的增益。”
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.