Shloka 9

Pānīya-dāna and Anna-dāna: The Primacy of Life-Sustaining Gifts (पानीयदान-प्रशंसा / अन्नदान-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

कुटुम्बिने सीदते च ब्राह्मणाय महात्मने । दातव्यं भिक्षवे चान्नामात्मनो भूतिमिच्छता

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | kuṭumbine sīdate ca brāhmaṇāya mahātmane | dātavyaṃ bhikṣave cānnam ātmano bhūtim icchatā ||

Translation

قال نارادا: من ابتغى لنفسه الخير والرخاء فليتصدّق بالطعام—وخاصةً لربّ بيتٍ مُعسَر، ولبرهمنٍ عظيم النفس، وكذلك للمتسوّل الزاهد إذا سأل. فالعبرة الأخلاقية أن صلاح المرء لا يُنال بالاكتناز، بل بإسناد المحتاجين بعطية الطعام (أنّا-دانا).

Word by Word

• कुटुम्बिने: to a householder / family-man
• कुटुम्बिने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटुम्बिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• सीदते: is distressed / suffers
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद् (सीद्)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ब्राह्मणाय: to a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• महात्मने: to the great-souled one
• महात्मने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने) + तव्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, Gerundive (obligative)

• भिक्षवे: to a beggar
• भिक्षवे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षु
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• च: also/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• भूतिम्: welfare / prosperity
• भूतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इच्छता: by (one) desiring
• इच्छता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (इच्छ्) + शतृ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular, Present active participle

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• brāhmaṇa
• kuṭumbin (householder)
• bhikṣu (mendicant)
• anna (food)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Seeking one’s own true welfare (bhūti) is aligned with dharma: give food (anna-dāna) to those in need—distressed householders, noble brāhmaṇas, and mendicants. Personal good is presented as arising from generosity and support of life-sustaining needs.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is instructing on righteous conduct, specifying worthy recipients of charity and emphasizing food-giving as a primary, merit-bearing act for one who desires well-being.