Shloka 53
येषां न माता न पिता न बन्धुर् नैवान्नसिद्धिर् न तदान्नम् अस्ति तत्तृप्तये ऽन्नं भुवि दत्तम् एतत् ते यान्तु तृप्तिं मुदिता भवन्तु
yeṣāṃ na mātā na pitā na bandhur naivānnasiddhir na tadānnam asti tattṛptaye 'nnaṃ bhuvi dattam etat te yāntu tṛptiṃ muditā bhavantu
For those who have no mother, no father, no kinsman—those for whom there is no means of preparing food and no food at all—this food is placed upon the earth for their satisfaction. May they attain fullness, and may they become glad.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya in the narrative frame)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: How food-offering should extend to the helpless and unprovided-for beings
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: compassionate
Concept: Food placed on the earth is meant to satisfy those who lack family support and any means of preparing or obtaining sustenance.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Practice inclusive charity: feed the poor, the homeless, and also animals; remove ‘deserving/undeserving’ calculations by giving as duty.
Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is rendered as service to the Lord’s dependents; the vulnerable are embraced as members of His embodied cosmos.
Vishnu Form: Hari
Bhakti Type: Dasya
FAQs
This verse frames food-giving as direct relief for those without family support or means, making charity a practical expression of dharma that sustains social and moral order.
He presents a simple rite—placing food on the earth—explicitly dedicated to the satisfaction of the destitute, turning an offering into an inclusive act of care for unseen dependents.
Even when Vishnu is not named, the ethic reflects Vaishnava dharma: preserving the world through protection and nourishment of beings, aligning human charity with the sustaining principle of the Supreme.