Shloka 36

Brāhmaṇya-प्रश्नः — The Inquiry into Attaining Brāhmaṇya

Mataṅga–Gardabhī Itihāsa

Devanagari script

षष्टिहद उपस्पृश्य चान्नदानाद्‌ विशिष्यते । दशतीर्थसहस्त्राणि तिसत्र: कोट्यस्तथा परा:

Transliteration

ṣaṣṭihada upaspṛśya cānna-dānād viśiṣyate | daśa-tīrtha-sahasrāṇi tisraḥ koṭyas tathā parāḥ ||

Translation

ഷഷ്ടിഹദിൽ ജലസ്പർശം ചെയ്ത് ശുദ്ധനായി അന്നദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ വിശേഷ പുണ്യം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു. ആ കർമ്മഫലം പത്തായിരം തീർത്ഥസ്നാനങ്ങൾക്ക് തുല്യമെന്നും, അതിലും മേലെ മൂന്നു കോടി അധികമെന്നും പറഞ്ഞ്—അന്നദാനത്തെ ശ്രേഷ്ഠ ധർമ്മദാനമായി പുകഴ്ത്തുന്നു.

Word by Word

षष्टिहदःthe (rite/person called) Ṣaṣṭihad

उपस्पृश्यhaving sipped/touched (water) for purification

चand

अन्नदानात्from food-giving; than the gift of food

विशिष्यतेis distinguished/excels

दशतीर्थसहस्राणिthousands of (sets of) ten tīrthas

त्रिंशत्thirty

कोट्यःcrores (tens of millions)

तथाthus/likewise

पराःfurther/greater; beyond

Speaker

अजड्रिय उवाच

Characters & Entities

anna-dāna (gift of food)

tīrtha (sacred places of pilgrimage)

upaspṛśya (ritual water-touching/purification)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates annadāna (giving food) as an exceptionally powerful form of charity, portrayed as surpassing or equaling vast quantities of tīrtha-related merit; it frames nourishment of others as a high dharmic act.

What is happening in the narrative?

Ajadriya is praising specific dharmic practices by ranking their spiritual efficacy: after noting ritual purification (touching water), he declares that giving food is especially meritorious, comparing its fruit to immense pilgrimage merit.