Shloka 20

The Glory of the Brāhmaṇa

Brāhmaṇa-Mahimā and Pādodaka Merit

Devanagari script

क्षुधार्तोऽहं देहि चान्नं प्राणा यास्यंति मे द्रुतम्

Transliteration

kṣudhārto'haṃ dehi cānnaṃ prāṇā yāsyaṃti me drutam

Translation

ഞാൻ വിശപ്പാൽ പീഡിതനാണ്—എനിക്ക് അന്നം തരിക; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ എന്റെ പ്രാണൻ വേഗത്തിൽ വിട്ടുപോകും.

Word by Word

• क्षुधार्तः: afflicted by hunger
• क्षुधार्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधा + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (क्षुधया आर्तः)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• देहि: give
• देहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्राणाः: life-breaths, vital airs
• प्राणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• यास्यन्ति: will go away
• यास्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th) एकवचन (enclitic genitive)

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Visheshana (Adverbial qualifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुतम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Unspecified (a hungry supplicant within the narrative context of Brahma-khaṇḍa 14)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: क्षुधार्तोऽहं = क्षुधार्तः + अहम्; चान्नं = च + अन्नम्; पदच्छेदः: क्षुधार्तः अहम् देहि च अन्नम् प्राणाः यास्यन्ति मे द्रुतम्

FAQs

What ethical duty is implied by this verse?

It implies the dharmic urgency of feeding the hungry (anna-dāna), treating relief of suffering as an immediate moral responsibility.

What is the emotional tone of the speaker in this shloka?

The tone is urgent and pleading: the speaker says hunger is overwhelming and warns that life may soon end without food.

How can this verse be applied in practical dharma today?

It supports prioritizing food charity—feeding guests, the poor, and anyone in distress—since basic sustenance is presented as life-preserving and time-sensitive.