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 said: Food given to brāhmaṇas becomes an imperishable gift, and food given to a śūdra yields great fruit. Indeed, the gift of food is especially meritorious—whether offered to a śūdra or to a brāhmaṇa—because sustaining life through nourishment is a foremost act of 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).