Shloka 56

गृहस्थस्य सदाचारः: शौच, तर্পण, वैश्वदेव, अतिथिधर्म, भोजन-विधि, संध्योपासन, ऋतु-धर्मः

Devanagari script

इत्य् उच्चार्य नरो दद्याद् अन्नं श्रद्धासमन्वितः भुवि भूतोपकाराय गृही सर्वाश्रयो यतः

Transliteration

ity uccārya naro dadyād annaṃ śraddhāsamanvitaḥ bhuvi bhūtopakārāya gṛhī sarvāśrayo yataḥ

Translation

Having thus recited, a person should give food with faith. For the householder is, in this world, the refuge of all—therefore he must act for the welfare of beings.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-सूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उच्चार्य: having recited/uttered
• उच्चार्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चर् (धातु) + उत् (उपसर्ग) → उच्चार्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वक्रिया (having uttered)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम/मध्यम-पुरुष?; परस्मैपद, एकवचन; विध्यर्थ (should give). (प्रयोगे—प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनः)

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

• श्रद्धासमन्वितः: endowed with faith
• श्रद्धासमन्वितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्धा + समन्वित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP/क्त) 'समन्वित'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (श्रद्धया समन्वितः)

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भूमि/भुव्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भूतोपकाराय: for the benefit of beings
• भूतोपकाराय: Sampradana/Purpose (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + उपकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (भूतानाम् उपकारः) प्रयोजनार्थे

• गृही: householder
• गृही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वाश्रयः: support of all
• सर्वाश्रयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषाम् आश्रयः)

• यतः: since/because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतु-अव्यय (causal indeclinable)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya on gṛhastha-dharma)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Practical injunction: after reciting, one should give food with faith; the householder as refuge of all

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: With śraddhā, the householder should give food for the benefit of beings, since gṛhasthas sustain all āśramas and dependents.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Make anna-dāna a weekly vow; feed guests and workers first when possible; donate to kitchens/food banks as disciplined karma-yoga.

Vishishtadvaita: Karma becomes worship when performed as service to the Lord through His dependents, aligning household life with bhakti-infused duty.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Vasudeva

Bhakti Type: Dasya

FAQs

What is the significance of anna-dāna (giving food) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames food-giving as a primary duty of the householder: done with śraddhā, it directly supports living beings and sustains social and moral order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of the householder (gṛhī)?

Parāśara presents the gṛhastha as sarvāśraya—one who upholds others (dependents, guests, ascetics, and creatures) through responsible generosity, especially through food.

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

Though not named here, the ethic of bhūtopakāra aligns with Vaishnava dharma: serving beings is a way of honoring the divine order upheld by Vishnu, the supreme sustainer.