Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 59: Viśvāmitra Assures Triśaṅku
Text 1.59.14
ब्राह्मणा वा महात्मानो भुक्त्वा चाण्डालभोजनम्।
कथं स्वर्गं गमिष्यन्ति विश्वामित्रेण पालिताः॥
brāhmaṇā vā mahātmāno bhuktvā cāṇḍāla-bhojanam
kathaṁ svargaṁ gamiṣyanti viśvāmitreṇa pālitāḥ
brāhmaṇāḥ = the brāhmaṇas; vā = and; mahā-ātmānaḥ = the great souls; bhuktvā = after eating; cāṇḍāla-bhojanam = the food of a caṇḍāla; katham = how; svargam = Svarga; gamiṣyanti = can attain; viśvāmitreṇa = by Viśvāmitra; pālitāḥ = protected.
And how can the great souls, the brāhmaṇas, protected by Viśvāmitra, attain Svarga after eating the food of a caṇḍāla?
“Protected” is used sarcastically because they considered Viśvāmitra to be a sacrificial priest for one who is not fit to be the sponsor (yajamāna) of a sacrifice.