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

Nārada said: One who seeks one’s own welfare and prosperity should give food in charity—especially to a distressed householder, to a great-souled brāhmaṇa, and also to a mendicant who asks for alms. For one’s good is secured not by hoarding, but by sustaining the needy through anna-dāna, the gift of food.

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.