Shloka 23

मांसपरिवर्जन-प्रशंसा (Praise of Abstention from Meat) / Ethics of Ahiṃsā in Diet and Rite

Devanagari script

अन्नमूर्जस्करं लोके दत्त्वोर्जस्वी भवेन्नर: । सतां पन्थानमावृत्य सर्वपापै: प्रमुच्यते

Transliteration

annam ūrjaskaraṃ loke dattvā ūrjasvī bhavennaraḥ | satāṃ panthānam āvṛtya sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate ||

Translation

Dijo Yudhiṣṭhira: «En este mundo, el alimento es lo que engendra y acrecienta la fuerza. Por eso, quien da alimento en caridad se vuelve vigoroso; y al ampararse en el sendero de los virtuosos, queda libre de todos los pecados».

Word by Word

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ऊर्जस्करम्: strength-producing
• ऊर्जस्करम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्जस्कर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• दत्त्वा: having given
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• ऊर्जस्वी: vigorous, strong
• ऊर्जस्वी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्जस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: would become / becomes (by injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सताम्: of the good (people)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• पन्थानम्: path, way
• पन्थानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन्/पन्थान्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आवृत्य: having followed / having resorted to
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-वृ
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• सर्वपापैः: from all sins
• सर्वपापैः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वपाप
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Plural

• प्रमुच्यते: is freed / is released
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-मुच्
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada (passive sense)

Speaker

युधिछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• anna (food)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Food-giving (anna-dāna) is praised as a powerful ethical act that increases one’s vitality and merit; coupled with following the conduct of the virtuous, it leads to freedom from sin.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused discourse on dharma and gifts, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates the value of donating food and aligning oneself with the righteous path.