Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच अन्नमेव प्रशंसन्ति देवा ऋषिगणास्तथा । लोकततन्त्र हि संज्ञाश्न सर्वमन्ने प्रतेष्ठितम्‌

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | annam eva praśaṃsanti devā ṛṣigaṇās tathā | lokatantraṃ hi saṃjñāś ca sarvam anne pratiṣṭhitam ||

Translation

ナーラダは言った。「神々もリシたちの群れも、ただ食をこそ讃える。世の営みの秩序と継続は食に依り、そこから覚醒と理解の明晰さが生まれる。まことに、この世の万事は食の上に据えられている。」

Word by Word

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• प्रशंसन्ति: praise
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शंस्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ऋषिगणाः: groups of sages
• ऋषिगणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषिगण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: likewise/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• लोकतन्त्रः: the course/continuance of worldly life (worldly order)
• लोकतन्त्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकतन्त्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• सञ्ज्ञायते: is sustained/continues (lit. is carried on/known)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ज्ञा
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive/Impersonal usage

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अन्ने: in food / on food
• अन्ने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: is established/grounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-स्था
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Devas
• Ṛṣis
• Anna (food)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Food (anna) is the foundation of life and social order: it sustains worldly activity, supports cognition and clarity, and therefore becomes a primary object of reverence and ethical concern—implying the duty to produce, protect, and share food through righteous livelihood and charity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is instructing by emphasizing a practical pillar of dharma: even gods and sages extol food, because the world’s functioning and human capacities depend on it; the statement supports broader teachings in Anuśāsana Parva on right conduct, giving, and sustaining society.