Shloka 48
Annadāna and the Obstruction of Viṣṇu-Darśana; Vāmadeva’s Teaching and the Vāsudeva Stotra Prelude
अतिथिभ्यस्ततो दत्वा परिजनं प्रभोजयेत् । स्वयं तु भुंजते पश्चात्तदन्नममृतोपमम्
atithibhyastato datvā parijanaṃ prabhojayet | svayaṃ tu bhuṃjate paścāttadannamamṛtopamam
ആദ്യം അതിഥികൾക്ക് അന്നം നൽകി, പിന്നെ സ്വന്തം കുടുംബത്തെ ഭോജനിപ്പിക്കണം; അതിന് ശേഷം മാത്രമേ സ്വയം ഭുജിക്കാവൂ—അത്തരം അന്നം അമൃതസമമെന്ന് പറയുന്നു.
Unspecified (contextual narrator/instructor within Padma Purana’s discourse)
Concept: Food becomes ‘nectar-like’ when sanctified by giving first to guests and dependents; self-enjoyment is last.
Application: Before eating, offer/serve: (1) guests/visitors, (2) elders/children/family, then eat mindfully; treat meals as a daily vrata of sharing.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A humble Vaiṣṇava household prepares a meal: the host first serves a weary traveler and a learned brāhmaṇa, then offers portions to elders and children. Only after everyone is satisfied does the host sit, hands folded, to partake of the remaining food that glows like nectar.","primary_figures":["gṛhastha householder","atithi (traveler)","brāhmaṇa guest","family members (elders, children)","Vishnu (subtle presence as blessing aura)"],"setting":"courtyard of a traditional home with a tulasī-vṛndāvana nearby, brass vessels, banana leaves, and a small lamp at the threshold","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["warm saffron","brass gold","leaf green","earthy umber","ivory white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a South Indian courtyard with a tulasī-vṛndāvana and brass lamps; the gṛhastha offers food first to a brāhmaṇa and traveler seated on banana leaves; subtle Vishnu halo in the background; heavy gold leaf embellishment on vessels, borders, and ornaments; rich reds and greens, gem-studded details, symmetrical devotional composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate domestic hospitality scene in a shaded courtyard; delicate brushwork showing banana-leaf serving, gentle facial expressions, and a small tulasī shrine; cool yet warm-balanced palette with lyrical naturalism; fine textiles, soft hills faintly suggested beyond the home.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments; gṛhastha in traditional attire serving atithi and brāhmaṇa; stylized tulasī shrine and oil lamp; characteristic large eyes and calm smiles; dominant red/yellow/green with ornate border motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional household scene framed by lotus and floral borders; tulasī-vṛndāvana prominent; offerings arranged in circular symmetry; peacocks and small cows at the edge as auspicious motifs; deep indigo background with gold highlights, intricate textile-like patterning."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","clinking brass vessels","evening lamp crackle","distant birds","gentle silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अतिथिभ्यस्ततः = अतिथिभ्यः + ततः (विसर्ग-लोप); पश्चात्तदन्नम् = पश्चात् + तत् + अन्नम् (त् + त → त्त); तदन्नम् = तत् + अन्नम्; अमृतोपमम् = अमृत + उपमम् (उकार-संधि).
FAQs
It teaches atithi-sevā (hospitality): serve guests first, then the household, and only then eat oneself—making the meal spiritually meritorious.
Because food eaten after fulfilling one’s duties of giving and serving is considered purified by dharma, bringing auspiciousness and moral merit.
It outlines a practical gṛhastha priority: generosity and care for dependents precede personal consumption, framing daily eating as an act governed by duty.