Shloka 18
Pānīya-dāna and Anna-dāna: The Primacy of Life-Sustaining Gifts (पानीयदान-प्रशंसा / अन्नदान-प्रशंसा)
न पृच्छेद् गोत्रचरणं स्वाध्यायं देशमेव च । भिक्षितो ब्राह्मणेनेह दद्यादन्न॑ प्रयाचित:
na pṛcched gotracaraṇaṃ svādhyāyaṃ deśam eva ca | bhikṣito brāhmaṇeneha dadyād annaṃ prayācitaḥ ||
Nārada dit : «Lorsqu’un brāhmaṇa vient ici demander l’aumône, qu’on ne l’interroge ni sur sa lignée, ni sur son école rituelle, ni sur son étude des Veda, ni même sur son lieu de résidence. S’il demande de la nourriture, qu’on la lui donne aussitôt.»
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Charity, especially food-giving to a brāhmaṇa who asks, should be prompt and unconditional—one should not demand proofs of lineage, Vedic affiliation, learning, or residence before giving.
Nārada delivers a dharma-instruction within Anuśāsana Parva, prescribing the proper conduct of a householder toward a brāhmaṇa supplicant: do not interrogate; provide food immediately when requested.