Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 108: Jābāli Speaks the Philosophy of Materialism
Text 2.108.14
अष्टकापितृदैवत्यमित्ययं प्रसृतो जनः।
अन्नस्योपद्रवं पश्य मृतो हि किमशिष्यति॥
aṣṭakā-pitṛ-daivatyam ity ayaṁ prasṛto janaḥ
annasyopadravaṁ paśya mṛto hi kim aśiṣyati
aṣṭakā-pitṛ-daivatyam iti = the annual aṣṭakā-śrāddha and pitṛ-daivatya rituals [to benefit his forefathers]; ayam prasṛtaḥ = who performs; janaḥ = the man; annasya = of all that food; upadravam = look at the wastage; paśya = look at; mṛtaḥ hi = a dead man; kim = will; aśiṣyati = ever eat.
Look at the man who performs the annual aṣṭakā-śrāddha and pitṛ-daivatya rituals [to benefit his forefathers]. Look at the wastage of all that food! Will a dead man ever eat?
“Look at the wastage of all that food” means “Consider the reason for the meaningless loss of food.” The reason is then stated, “Will a dead man ever eat?”
He then logically reinforces this idea in the next verse.