Shloka 25

Śrāddha’s Cosmic Reach and Kāla-Nirṇaya (Sacred Timings): Amāvāsyā, Nakṣatra-Yoga, Tīrtha, and Minimum Offerings

Devanagari script

असमर्थो ऽन्नदानस्य धान्यम् आमं स्वशक्तितः प्रदास्यति द्विजाग्रेभ्यः स्वल्पाल्पां वापि दक्षिणाम्

Transliteration

asamartho 'nnadānasya dhānyam āmaṃ svaśaktitaḥ pradāsyati dvijāgrebhyaḥ svalpālpāṃ vāpi dakṣiṇām

Translation

បើមិនអាចធ្វើទានជាអាហារដែលបានចម្អិនបានទេ គួរតែផ្តល់ធញ្ញជាតិឆៅដល់ទ្វិជដ៏ប្រសើរតាមសមត្ថភាព; ឬសូម្បីតែទក្ខិណា​តិចតួចក៏គួរប្រគេនដោយសទ្ធា។

Word by Word

• असमर्थः: unable
• असमर्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-समर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (unable)

• अन्न-दानस्य: of giving food
• अन्न-दानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• धान्यम्: grain
• धान्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• आमम्: raw
• आमम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (raw, uncooked)

• स्व-शक्तितः: according to his own ability
• स्व-शक्तितः: Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/तद्धितान्त अव्यय; अर्थः—स्वशक्तितः (from/according to one’s own ability)

• प्रदास्यति: will give
• प्रदास्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (he will give)

• द्विज-अग्रेभ्यः: to the foremost twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विज-अग्रेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Dative plural)

• स्वल्प-अल्पाम्: a very small
• स्वल्प-अल्पाम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + अल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (very small)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (or)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक निपात (also/even)

• दक्षिणाम्: a gift/fee (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Graduated alternatives in charity when one cannot provide cooked food (anna-dāna)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When full hospitality is impossible, dharma permits simpler substitutes—raw grain or even a small dakṣiṇā—so that intention and continuity of giving are preserved.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: If you cannot offer ‘ideal’ service, offer a simpler equivalent (staples, small donation, or practical help) without abandoning the practice.

Vishishtadvaita: In qualified non-dualism, the Lord’s grace makes even small acts efficacious when aligned with śraddhā and proper intention.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Dvijas (twice-born)
• Brāhmaṇas (implied: dvijāgrebhyaḥ)

FAQs

What is the significance of offering raw grain instead of cooked food in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse teaches that when annadāna (cooked food-giving) is not possible, giving uncooked grain is a valid, dharmic alternative—so charity remains accessible and aligned with one’s capacity.

How does Sage Parāśara explain charity according to one’s ability (svaśakti)?

He frames dāna as capacity-based: if the ideal form cannot be performed, one should still give what is feasible—grain or even a small dakṣiṇā—so the duty of generosity is not abandoned.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context of dāna and dharma?

By prescribing sustainable, intention-driven charity, the teaching supports dharma as the order upheld under Vishnu’s sovereignty—where maintaining social and ritual harmony becomes an indirect form of devotion and alignment with the Supreme Reality.