12.214
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
dvijātayo vratopetā yadidaṃ bhuñjate haviḥ। annaṃ brāhmaṇakāmāya kathametatpitāmaha ॥12-214-1॥
O grandsire, how is it that the twice-born, endowed with vows, eat this offering—food meant for the desire of a Brāhmaṇa?
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
avedoktavratopetā bhuñjānāḥ kāryakāriṇaḥ। vedokteṣu ca bhuñjānā vrataluptā yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-214-2॥
O Yudhishthira, those who are endowed with vows not prescribed in the Veda, who enjoy and perform duties, and those who enjoy what is prescribed in the Veda but have lost their vows.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
yad idaṃ tapa ity āhur upavāsaṃ pṛthag-janāḥ। etat tapo mahārāja utāho kiṃ tapo bhavet ॥12-214-3॥
Ordinary people say that this fasting is austerity, O great king, but is this austerity, or what truly is austerity?
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
māsapakṣopavāsena manyante yattapo janāḥ। ātmatantropaghātaḥ sa na tapastatsatāṃ matam ॥ tyāgaśca sannatiścaiva śiṣyate tapa uttamam ॥12-214-4॥
People think that fasting for a month or a fortnight is austerity, but self-inflicted harm is not considered austerity by the wise. Renunciation and humility are indeed regarded as the highest form of austerity.
sadopavāsī ca bhaved brahmacārī sadaiva ca। muniś ca syāt sadā vipro daivataṃ ca sadā bhajet ॥12-214-5॥
He should always reside in a holy place, be ever celibate, always a sage, always a Brāhmaṇa, and should always worship the divine.
kuṭumbiko dharmakāmaḥ sadāsvapnaś ca bhārata। amāṃsāśī sadā ca syāt pavitraṃ ca sadā japet ॥12-214-6॥
O Bhārata, a householder who desires dharma should always be wakeful, abstain from meat, remain pure, and constantly engage in recitation.
amṛtāśī sadā ca syānna ca syādviṣabhojanaḥ। vighasāśī sadā ca syātsadā caivātithipriyaḥ ॥12-214-7॥
One should always eat pure food, never partake of harmful food, should always accept leftovers, and always be hospitable to guests.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
kathaṁ sadopavāsī syādbrahmacārī kathaṁ bhavet। vighasāśī kathaṁ ca syātsadā caivātithipriyaḥ ॥12-214-8॥
How can a person always be a faster, how can he be a celibate? How can he be one who eats leftovers, and always be fond of guests?
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
antarā prātarāśaṃ ca sāyamāśaṃ tathaiva ca। sadopavāsī ca bhaved yo na bhuṅkte kathaṃcana॥12-214-9॥
One who does not eat at all between the morning and evening meals should always be considered as one who is constantly fasting.
bhāryāṃ gacchanbrahmacārī ṛtau bhavati brāhmaṇaḥ। ṛtavādī sadā ca syājjñānanityaśca yo naraḥ ॥12-214-10॥
A celibate student who approaches his wife at the proper time becomes a true brāhmaṇa; he should always speak the truth and be ever devoted to knowledge.
abhakṣayan vṛthā māṃsam amāṃsāśī bhavatyu ta। dānanityaḥ pavitraś ca asvapnaś ca divāsvapan ॥12-214-11॥
One who refrains from eating useless meat and does not eat meat indeed becomes always charitable, pure, and is one who does not sleep at night but sleeps during the day.
bhṛtyātithiṣu yo bhuṅkte bhuktavatsu sadā sa ha। amṛtaṃ sakalaṃ bhuṅkta iti viddhi yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-214-12॥
O Yudhishthira, know that he who always eats among servants and guests, after everyone else has eaten, truly partakes of all nectar.
abhuktavatsu nāśnānaḥ satataṃ yastu vai dvijaḥ। abhojanena tenāsya jitaḥ svargo bhavatyuta ॥12-214-13॥
If a twice-born always refrains from eating when food has not been eaten, by such abstention he indeed conquers heaven.
devatābhyaḥ pitṛbhyaś ca bhṛtyebhyo'tithibhiḥ saha। avaśiṣṭaṃ tu yo'śnāti tam āhur vighasāśinam ॥12-214-14॥
Whoever eats the remaining food without first offering it to the deities, ancestors, servants, and guests together, is called one who eats remnants.
teṣāṃ lokā hyaparyantāḥ sadane brahmaṇā saha। upasthitāś cāpsarobhiḥ pariyānti divaukasaḥ ॥12-214-15॥
Their worlds are truly endless; in the abode with Brahmā, the heavenly beings, together with the Apsarases, move about freely.
devatābhiś ca ye sārdhaṃ pitṛbhiś copabhuñjate। ramante putrapautraiś ca teṣāṃ gatir anuttamā ॥12-214-16॥
Those who, together with the gods and ancestors, enjoy and rejoice with their sons and grandsons—their destiny is the highest.
