Shloka 26
यममार्गे सुखदायकधर्माः
Dharmas that Grant Ease on the Path to Yama
यस्यान्नपानपुष्टाङ्गः कुरुते पुण्यसंचयम् । अन्नप्रदातुस्तस्यार्द्धं कर्तुश्चार्द्धं न संशयः
yasyānnapānapuṣṭāṅgaḥ kurute puṇyasaṃcayam | annapradātustasyārddhaṃ kartuścārddhaṃ na saṃśayaḥ
When a person—whose body is nourished by another’s food and drink—performs acts that accumulate merit, then half of that merit belongs to the giver of food, and half belongs to the doer; of this there is no doubt.
Lord Shiva (teaching Umā/Parvati in the Umāsaṃhitā discourse)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Significance: Frames annadāna as a Śaiva dharma that shares the fruit of puṇya between donor and practitioner, encouraging temple-feeding (annadāna/śivabhojana) as a meritorious pilgrimage-supporting act.
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: teaching
Offering: naivedya
FAQs
The verse elevates anna-dāna (offering food) as a foundational Shaiva virtue: sustaining another’s life and dharmic capacity becomes spiritually participatory, so the giver shares directly in the merit generated by the nourished person’s righteous acts.
In Saguna Shiva worship, service to Shiva’s devotees and beings is treated as service to Shiva Himself; feeding others becomes a practical extension of Linga-bhakti, where devotion is verified through compassion, hospitality, and support of dharma.
Practice anna-dāna as a vow—especially on Shiva worship days—offering food with the remembrance of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and dedicating the fruit to Lord Shiva, viewing the recipient as a carrier of Shiva’s presence.