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

毗湿摩说：他先将祭祖之后所余之物，分给婆罗门与依附于他的人；其后方食所剩之饭。他笃守真实，于一切众生行不害——此乃持家有度之范：先敬神明、先奉祖灵、先待宾客，而后及己。

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).