Shloka 25

Devanagari script

सर्वावस्थ॑ मनुष्येण न्यायेनान्नमुपार्जितम्‌ । कार्य पात्रागतं नित्यमन्नं हि परमा गति:,मनुष्यको प्रत्येक अवस्थामें न्‍्यायतः उपार्जित किया हुआ अन्न सत्पात्रके लिये अर्पित करना चाहिये; क्योंकि अन्न ही सब प्राणियोंका परम आधार है

Transliteration

sarvāvasthaṁ manuṣyeṇa nyāyenānnam upārjitam | kāryaṁ pātrāgataṁ nityam annaṁ hi paramā gatiḥ ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „In jeder Lebenslage soll der Mensch Speise auf gerechte Weise erwerben und diese Speise stets einem würdigen Empfänger darbringen. Denn Speise ist wahrlich die höchste Stütze und Zuflucht der Lebewesen.“

Word by Word

सर्वावस्थम्in every condition/at all times

मनुष्येणby a man

न्यायेनby justice/rightly

अन्नम्food

उपार्जितम्earned/acquired

कार्यम्should be done

पात्र-आगतम्reaching/going to the (worthy) recipient

नित्यम्always

अन्नम्food

हिindeed/for

परमाsupreme

गतिःsupport/refuge/goal

Speaker

युधिछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

anna (food)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Earn one’s livelihood—especially food—through just means, and make it a regular duty to offer that food to a worthy recipient; sustaining others through rightful giving is presented as a central dharmic obligation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma and giving, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a principle of ethical livelihood and charity: food obtained righteously should be consistently offered to deserving persons, because food sustains all life.