Shloka 13
Pānīya-dāna and Anna-dāna: The Primacy of Life-Sustaining Gifts (पानीयदान-प्रशंसा / अन्नदान-प्रशंसा)
नावमन्येदभिगतं न प्रणुद्यात् कदाचन । अपि श्वपाके शुनि वा न दानं विप्रणश्यति
nāvamanyed abhigataṁ na praṇudyāt kadācana | api śvapāke śuni vā na dānaṁ vipraṇaśyati ||
Disse Nārada: Nunca se deve desonrar quem chega à própria casa, nem jamais expulsá-lo. Ainda que o destinatário seja um caṇḍāla (um proscrito) ou mesmo um cão, o dom de alimento não perece—caridade dada com tal espírito nunca é em vão.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not insult or expel anyone who comes seeking shelter or food; hospitality and charity retain their merit regardless of the recipient’s social status—even giving to the most marginalised or to an animal is not futile.
In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Nārada states a rule of conduct: a householder should receive visitors without contempt and should not turn them away, emphasizing the enduring value of dāna (especially food-giving).