Shloka 22

Pānīya-dāna and Anna-dāna: The Primacy of Life-Sustaining Gifts (पानीयदान-प्रशंसा / अन्नदान-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मण: सर्वभूतानामतिथि: प्रसृताग्रभुक्‌ । विप्रा यदधिगच्छन्ति भिक्षमाणा गृहं सदा

Transliteration

brāhmaṇaḥ sarvabhūtānām atithiḥ prasṛtāgrabhuk | viprā yad adhigacchanti bhikṣamāṇā gṛhaṃ sadā ||

Translation

Nārada dit : « Un brāhmaṇa est, pour ainsi dire, l’hôte de tous les êtres : il ne mange que ce qu’on dépose dans ses mains tendues. Les brāhmaṇas instruits vont sans cesse de maison en maison, demandant l’aumône. »

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वभूतानाम्: of all beings
• सर्वभूतानाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूत
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अतिथिः: a guest
• अतिथिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रसृताग्रभुक्: one who eats with outstretched hand (i.e., accepts what is given)
• प्रसृताग्रभुक्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसृत-अग्र-भुज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अधिगच्छन्ति: obtain, get
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-गम्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• भिक्षमाणाः: begging, seeking alms
• भिक्षमाणाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिक्ष्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• गृहम्: a house
• गृहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• brāhmaṇa
• vipra
• gṛha (household)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames the brāhmaṇa-mendicant as a universal ‘guest’ (atithi) and implies an ethical duty of households to offer alms/hospitality. It highlights restraint (taking only what is given into outstretched hands) and the social dharma of supporting seekers of bhikṣā.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is describing the customary conduct of brāhmaṇas who live by alms: they regularly go from house to house begging, receiving food in their extended hands. The statement supports a broader instruction on proper duties and the honoring of guests and the learned.