Shloka 13

ऋभु–निदाघ-संवादः—अद्वैत-उपदेशः, समता, वासुदेव-स्वरूप-एकत्वम्

Devanagari script

कदन्नानि द्विजैतानि मिष्टम् अन्नं प्रयच्छ मे संयावपायसादीनि द्रप्सफाणितवन्ति च

Transliteration

kadannāni dvijaitāni miṣṭam annaṃ prayaccha me saṃyāvapāyasādīni drapsaphāṇitavanti ca

Translation

O twice-born one, give me those cooked dishes; offer me sweet food as well—preparations such as saṃyāva and pāyasa, and foods enriched with drops of syrup and molasses.

Word by Word

• कदन्नानि: coarse foods
• कदन्नानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कदन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• द्विज: O brāhmaṇa (twice-born)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of कदन्नानि)

• मिष्टम्: sweet, pleasant
• मिष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (of अन्नम्)

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्रयच्छ: give
• प्रयच्छ: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-यम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative pronoun)

• संयाव-पायस-आदीनि: saṃyāva, pāyasa and the like
• संयाव-पायस-आदीनि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयाव (प्रातिपदिक) + पायस (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’-अन्त तत्पुरुष (X and the like)

• द्रप्स-फाणित-वन्ति: containing syrup-drops and molasses
• द्रप्स-फाणित-वन्ति: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रप्स (प्रातिपदिक) + फाणित (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (प्रातिपदिक/तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; तत्पुरुष (having drops and molasses)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

A guest/beggar addressing a dvija (Brahmana/householder) within Parasara’s dharma-instruction to Maitreya

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The verse dramatizes the tension between sensory appetite and the ideal of disciplined hospitality, using food-desire to reveal character.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Notice how desire shapes speech and choices; cultivate restraint and offer the best to guests before oneself.

Vishishtadvaita: Ethics is not abstract: mastery over senses supports bhakti expressed as service to the worthy.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (twice-born/Brahmana)
• Saṃyāva
• Pāyasa
• Phāṇita (molasses)

FAQs

What is the significance of hospitality (atithi-sevā) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights the dharmic ideal that offering food—especially to the twice-born and to guests—is a sacred duty of the householder, sustaining social and cosmic order through anna-dāna.

How does Sage Parāśara explain righteous household life through such verses?

By placing everyday acts like feeding guests within a moral framework, Parāśara teaches Maitreya that dharma is lived through disciplined generosity, purity, and reverence in daily conduct.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named in the line, the ethic of offering food functions as a Vishnu-centered dharma: sustaining beings and order reflects the preserving principle associated with Vishnu as the Supreme upholder of the world.