Shloka 38

यममार्गे सुखदायकधर्माः

Dharmas that Grant Ease on the Path to Yama

Devanagari script

अन्नं पानं च शूद्रेऽपि ब्राह्मणे च विशिष्यते । न पृच्छेद्गोत्रचरणं स्वाध्यायं देशमेव च

Transliteration

annaṃ pānaṃ ca śūdre'pi brāhmaṇe ca viśiṣyate | na pṛcchedgotracaraṇaṃ svādhyāyaṃ deśameva ca

Translation

Food and drink should be offered with due honor, whether the recipient is a Śūdra or a Brāhmaṇa. One should not interrogate a guest about lineage (gotra) and Vedic branch (caraṇa), about personal study (svādhyāya), or even about his place of origin.

Word by Word

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• पानम्: drink, beverage
• पानम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शूद्रे: in/for a śūdra
• शूद्रे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• ब्राह्मणे: in/for a brahmin
• ब्राह्मणे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विशिष्यते: is distinguished/has special importance
• विशिष्यते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √शिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; उपसर्ग वि-

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• पृच्छेत्: should ask
• पृच्छेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गोत्रचरणम्: lineage and (Vedic) school
• गोत्रचरणम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोत्र + चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (गोत्रं च चरणं च)

• स्वाध्यायम्: self-study/recitation (of Veda)
• स्वाध्यायम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• देशम्: place, region
• देशम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• एव: only, just
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (only/just)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings as a dharma-instruction within the Umāsaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Non-discriminatory hospitality (not probing gotra/śākhā/deśa) reduces egoic limitation and social concealment (tirodhāna) that obstructs dharma; it supports inner purification conducive to Śiva-jñāna.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that true dharma expresses itself as reverent hospitality and compassion, dissolving pride and social prejudice—qualities that loosen pasha (bondage) and support a Shaiva life oriented to Shiva.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Linga-worship is not only ritual but also conduct: honoring the living presence of Shiva in beings through atithi-seva (feeding and giving water) aligns devotion to Saguna Shiva with inner purity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is anna-dāna and pāna-dāna (feeding and giving water) to guests and the needy without probing identity—performed as an offering to Shiva, ideally with mental japa of the Panchakshara mantra.