Mahabharata 3.95.21 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 95, Shloka 21

Agastya–Lopāmudrā: Marriage, Austerity, and Conditions for Conjugal Union (लोमशकथितम्)

Devanagari script

अहन्यहनि चाप्येवं याचतां सम्प्रदीयते । अन्ये च ब्राह्मणा राजन्‌ भुज्जतेऊन्नं सुसंस्कृतम्‌

Transliteration

ahany ahani cāpy evaṁ yācatāṁ sampradīyate | anye ca brāhmaṇā rājan bhuñjate annaṁ susaṁskṛtam ||

Translation

Śamaṭha disse: “Dia após dia, do mesmo modo, comida e dádivas eram dadas aos que vinham pedir. E, ó rei, outros brāhmaṇas também ali partilhavam de alimento bem preparado e devidamente cozido.”

Word by Word

• अहनि: on a day
• अहनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अहनि: on a day (day after day)
• अहनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• एवम्: thus/in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• याचताम्: of those who beg/ask
• याचताम्: Sampradana
• Type: Verb
• Root: याच्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सम्प्रदीयते: is given/bestowed
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + दा
• Form: Present, Passive, Third, Singular

• अन्ये: other
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• भुञ्जते: they eat/enjoy
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Present, Parasmaipada (active), Third, Plural

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सुसंस्कृतम्: well-prepared
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + संस्कृत
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) with उपसर्ग सु-, Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

शमठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śamaṭha
• rājan (the King, unnamed here)
• brāhmaṇas
• yācakas (beggars/supplicants)
• anna (food)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That dharma is sustained through consistent, everyday generosity—regular giving to supplicants and respectful feeding of brāhmaṇas, emphasizing charity and hospitality as ongoing obligations rather than occasional virtues.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker describes a setting where, each day, beggars receive food and gifts, and other brāhmaṇas dine on well-cooked meals—portraying an orderly, dharmic household or establishment marked by continual distribution and communal feeding.