Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 18

Pānīya-dāna and Anna-dāna: The Primacy of Life-Sustaining Gifts (पानीयदान-प्रशंसा / अन्नदान-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

न पृच्छेद्‌ गोत्रचरणं स्वाध्यायं देशमेव च । भिक्षितो ब्राह्मणेनेह दद्यादन्न॑ प्रयाचित:

Transliteration

na pṛcched gotracaraṇaṃ svādhyāyaṃ deśam eva ca | bhikṣito brāhmaṇeneha dadyād annaṃ prayācitaḥ ||

Translation

ਇੱਥੇ ਜੇ ਕੋਈ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਭਿੱਖ ਵਿੱਚ ਅੰਨ ਮੰਗੇ, ਤਾਂ ਉਸ ਤੋਂ ਗੋਤ੍ਰ, ਸ਼ਾਖਾ/ਚਰਨ, ਸਵਾਧਿਆਇ ਜਾਂ ਨਿਵਾਸ-ਸਥਾਨ ਨਾ ਪੁੱਛੋ; ਮੰਗਦੇ ਹੀ ਤੁਰੰਤ ਅੰਨ ਦੇ ਦਿਓ।

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• पृच्छेत्: should ask
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Vidhi-linga, injunctive/optative sense, 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• गोत्रम्: clan/lineage
• गोत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोत्र
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• चरणम्: Vedic school (śākhā/tradition)
• चरणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• स्वाध्यायम्: Vedic study/recitation
• स्वाध्यायम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• देशम्: place/country (residence)
• देशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• भिक्षितः: when begged/asked (for alms)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिक्षित
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular, past passive participle (kta) from √भिक्ष्

• ब्राह्मणेन: by a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• इह: here (in this context/world)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• दद्यात्: should give
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Vidhi-linga, optative sense, 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• प्रयाचितः: when requested/solicited
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयाचित
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular, past passive participle (kta) from प्र+√याच्

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• brāhmaṇa
• anna (food/alms)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Charity, especially food-giving to a brāhmaṇa who asks, should be prompt and unconditional—one should not demand proofs of lineage, Vedic affiliation, learning, or residence before giving.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada delivers a dharma-instruction within Anuśāsana Parva, prescribing the proper conduct of a householder toward a brāhmaṇa supplicant: do not interrogate; provide food immediately when requested.