Shloka 24

यममार्गे सुखदायकधर्माः

Dharmas that Grant Ease on the Path to Yama

Devanagari script

अतएव महत्पुण्यमन्नदाने प्रकीर्तितम् । तथा क्षुधाग्निना तप्ता म्रियंते सर्वदेहिनः

Transliteration

ataeva mahatpuṇyamannadāne prakīrtitam | tathā kṣudhāgninā taptā mriyaṃte sarvadehinaḥ

Translation

ゆえに、食を施すことは大いなる功徳と宣べられる。飢えの火に焼かれる一切の有身の者は、まことに滅びゆくからである。

Word by Word

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु/cause marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अतस् अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थक (therefore/from this)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (एव अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारणार्थक (emphatic particle)

• mahat: great
• mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (महत् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• puṇyam: merit, virtue
• puṇyam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (पुण्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• anna-dāne: in the giving of food
• anna-dāne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (अन्न प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (दान प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: अन्नस्य दानम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• prakīrtitam: has been proclaimed
• prakīrtitam: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + kīrt (कीर्त् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थ (has been proclaimed)

• tathā: thus; likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (तथा अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (thus/also)

• kṣudhā-agninā: by the fire of hunger
• kṣudhā-agninā: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣudhā (क्षुधा प्रातिपदिक) + agni (अग्नि प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: क्षुधायाः अग्निः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• taptāḥ: tormented, scorched
• taptāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tap (तप् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘सर्वदेहिनः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• mriyante: die
• mriyante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mṛ (मृ धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• sarva-dehinaḥ: all embodied beings
• sarva-dehinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (सर्व प्रातिपदिक) + dehin (देहिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सर्वे देहिनः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages, as typical framing for Purana discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; it is annadāna-mahātmyam: because hunger destroys embodied beings, feeding becomes ‘great merit’—a grace-bearing act aligned with Śiva’s compassion.

Significance: Temple annadāna and feeding pilgrims/poor are framed as high puṇya; in Śaiva practice, such service is caryā that invites Śiva’s anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Annapūrṇā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It elevates annadāna as a supreme act of dharma because it protects life itself—hunger destroys embodied beings—so feeding others becomes a direct expression of compassion aligned with Shaiva virtue and purity of conduct.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

In Saguna Shiva worship, devotion is validated by service (sevā). Offering food to living beings is treated as honoring Shiva present as the indwelling Lord (Pati) in all bodies, complementing external Linga worship with ethical, life-sustaining action.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice annadāna as a Shaiva vow—feed devotees, guests, or the hungry, ideally after Shiva-pūjā—while maintaining a devotional remembrance of Shiva (e.g., japa of the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as the inner intention behind the gift.