Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणेष्वक्षयं दानमन्न शूद्रे महाफलम्‌ | अन्नदानं हि शूद्रे च ब्राह्मणे च विशिष्यते

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | brāhmaṇeṣv akṣayaṁ dānam annaṁ śūdre mahāphalam | annadānaṁ hi śūdre ca brāhmaṇe ca viśiṣyate ||

Translation

Nārada sprach: Speise, den Brāhmaṇas gegeben, wird zu einer unvergänglichen Gabe, und Speise, einem Śūdra gegeben, bringt großen Ertrag. Wahrlich, die Gabe von Nahrung ist besonders verdienstvoll—ob sie einem Śūdra oder einem Brāhmaṇa dargebracht wird—denn Leben durch Nahrung zu erhalten ist ein vornehmster Akt des Dharma.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणेषु: among/with respect to Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• अक्षयम्: imperishable (as result)
• अक्षयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दानम्: gift, giving
• दानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• शूद्रे: in/for a Shudra
• शूद्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• महाफलम्: of great fruit/result
• महाफलम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाफल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अन्नदानम्: giving of food
• अन्नदानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्नदान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• शूद्रे: in/for a Shudra
• शूद्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• ब्राह्मणे: in/for a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• विशिष्यते: is distinguished/excels
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + शिष्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Brāhmaṇa
• Śūdra
• Anna (food)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that annadāna (giving food) is a supremely meritorious form of charity. It yields imperishable merit when offered to Brahmins and great merit even when offered to Shudras, emphasizing that sustaining others through nourishment is a high dharmic act.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is instructing on the fruits of different kinds of dāna (gifts). In this teaching context, he highlights food-giving as especially distinguished, specifying its results with respect to recipients identified by varṇa (Brahmin and Shudra).