Varaha Purana 116.11: Adhyaya 116, Shloka 11

An Exposition on the Causes of Happiness and Suffering

Uttara Bhāga · Atithi-dharma (Hospitality Ethics)

Devanagari script

अदत्त्वा तस्य यो भुङ्क्ते ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् ।। सर्वान्नानि तु सिद्धानि पाकभेदं करोति यः

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 116.11

Transliteration

adattvā tasya yo bhuṅkte tato duḥkhataraṃ nu kim || sarvānnāni tu siddhāni pākabhedaṃ karoti yaḥ

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

客に施さずに食する者に、これより痛ましいことがあろうか。さらに、すべての食がすでに整っているのに、調理や分配に差別を設ける者は…

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Word by Word

• अदत्त्वा: without giving
• Type: Verb
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; अदत्त्वा = न दत्त्वा (having not given)
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Root: √दा (धातु)

• तस्य: of him/of that (guest)
• Type: Noun
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• यः: who
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• भुङ्क्ते: eats/enjoys
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: √भुज् (धातु)

• ततः: therefore/from that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्ययम्; हेत्वर्थे/अपादानार्थे
• Role: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)

• दुःखतरम्: more painful
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; comparative (तरप्)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Root: दुःखतर (प्रातिपदिक)

• नु: indeed/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: निपातः; प्रश्न/बलार्थक
• Role: Prayojaka particle (निपात)
• Root: नु (अव्यय)

• किम्: what?
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
• Role: Predicate (विधेय)
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• सर्वान्नानि: all foods
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः: सर्वम् अन्नम् (कर्मधारय)
• Role: Karma (कर्म) / Object domain
• Root: सर्व + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्ययम्; विरोध/अवधारणार्थक (but/indeed)
• Role: Prayojaka particle (निपात)
• Root: तु (अव्यय)

• सिद्धानि: prepared/cooked
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (√सिध् ‘to be accomplished/cooked’)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्) of सर्वान्नानि
• Root: सिद्ध (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)

• पाकभेदम्: distinction/variation in cooking
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), एकवचनम्; समासः: पाकस्य भेदः
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: पाक + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)

• करोति: does/makes
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: √कृ (धातु)

• यः: who
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• सर्वान्नानि = सर्व + अन्नानि (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: र्व + अ → र्वा)

Speaker and setting

Bibhatsa and Karuna rasaSetting: Domestic space

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Ethics of offering

Subjects

Ethics

Core idea

Consumption becomes dharma only when preceded by dāna and non-discriminatory sharing; otherwise it is mere grasping.

In practice

Serve the atithi first; set aside a share before anyone eats; avoid ‘special cooking’ or reallocations that humiliate dependents/guests.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Gṛhastha Dharma
• Purāṇic Ethics

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It documents normative hospitality ethics found across Dharma literature, emphasizing the social-religious duty of feeding guests before oneself.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is identified.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Prioritize giving to a guest and avoid discriminatory handling of prepared food in ways that undermine hospitality.