Shloka 22
Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: On the Superiority of Giving
Maitreya–Vyāsa Exemplum
Devanagari script
देवार्थ पितृयज्ञार्थमन्नं श्रद्धाउ55हतं मया । न दत्तमर्थकामेन देयमन्नं पुरा किल
Transliteration
devārthaṁ pitṛyajñārtham annaṁ śraddhayā ujjhitaṁ mayā | na dattam arthakāmena deyam annaṁ purā kila ||
Translation
前の生で私は、神々への供物と祖霊の祭儀のために、信心をもって食を集めていた。だが財を蓄えたい貪欲に駆られ、施すべきその食さえ布施しなかった。
Word by Word
देव-अर्थम्for the sake of the gods
देव-अर्थम्:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootदेव + अर्थ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
पितृ-यज्ञ-अर्थम्for the sake of the ancestral sacrifice
पितृ-यज्ञ-अर्थम्:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ + यज्ञ + अर्थ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अन्नम्food, grain
अन्नम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअन्न
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
श्रद्धा-उपहतम्accompanied/impelled by faith; done with श्रद्धा
श्रद्धा-उपहतम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootउप-हन् (धातु) → उपहत (कृदन्त) + श्रद्धा
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
मयाby me
मया:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, Instrumental, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
दत्तम्given (was not given)
दत्तम्:
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
अर्थ-कामेनby desire for wealth and pleasure; out of greed
अर्थ-कामेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ + काम
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
देयम्to be given, fit to be donated
देयम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootदा (धातु) → देय (कृदन्त)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
अन्नम्food (the food that should be given)
अन्नम्:
TypeNoun
Rootअन्न
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
पुराformerly, earlier
पुरा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुरा
किलindeed, it is said
किल:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकिल
Speaker
कीट उवाच
Characters & Entities
D
devas (gods)P
pitṛs (ancestors)A
anna (food/grain)Ś
śraddhā (faith)Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Merely setting aside resources for sacred purposes is not enough; withholding what is meant to be given—out of greed—violates dāna-dharma and leads to adverse karmic results.
The speaker (the ‘kīṭa’) confesses a past-life fault: he collected food for offerings to gods and ancestors but, motivated by desire for wealth, failed to donate even the portion that should have been given away.