Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.18.19

bahir jalāśayaḿ gatvā

tatropaspṛśya vāg-yataḥ

vibhajya pāvitaḿ śeṣaḿ

bhuñjītāśeṣam āhṛtam

SYNONYMS

bahiḥ — outside of urban areas, in a secluded place; jala — of water; āśayam — to a reservoir; gatvā — going; tatra — there; upaspṛśya — being purified by contact with water; vāk-yataḥ — without speaking; vibhajya — duly distributing; pāvitam — purified; śeṣam — remnants; bhuñjīta — one should eat; aśeṣam — completely; āhṛtam — gathered by begging.

TRANSLATION

Taking the food gathered through begging, one should leave the populated areas and go to a reservoir of water in a secluded place. There, having taken a bath and washed one's hands thoroughly, one should distribute portions of the food to others who may request it. One should do this without speaking. Then, having thoroughly cleansed the remnants, one should eat everything on one's plate, leaving nothing for future consumption.

PURPORT

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura explains that a saintly person should not argue or quarrel with materialistic persons who may request or demand part of his foodstuff. The word vibhajya indicates that one should give something to such persons to avoid disturbance, and then, offering the remnants to Lord Viṣṇu, one should eat everything on one's plate, without saving food for the future. The word bahiḥ indicates that one should not eat in a public place, and vāg-yata indicates that one should eat silently, meditating upon the Lord's mercy.

<<< >>>

Copyright © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari