Mahabharata 3.201.36 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 201, Shloka 36

Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

यथाशक्ति च यो दद्यादन्नं विप्रेषु संस्कृतम्‌

Transliteration

yathāśakti ca yo dadyād annaṃ vipreṣu saṃskṛtam

Translation

யார் தம் ஆற்றலுக்கேற்ப பிராமணர்களுக்கு முறையாகச் சமைத்த (சம்ஸ்க்ருத) உணவை அளிக்கிறாரோ, அவர் தர்மத்திற்குரிய தானநெறியைப் பேணுகிறார்; புனித விருந்தினரைத் தக்க முறையில் போற்றுகிறார்.

Word by Word

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• शक्ति: ability, capacity
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दद्यात्: should give
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• विप्रेषु: to/among Brahmins
• विप्रेषु: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• संस्कृतम्: prepared, well-cooked, refined
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्कृत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• vipra (Brahmins)
• anna (food)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Give in proportion to your capacity (yathāśakti) and offer food respectfully and properly prepared; ethical giving is measured by sincerity and appropriateness, not extravagance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is instructing on dharma by highlighting a concrete practice—feeding Brahmins with duly prepared food—as a model of righteous generosity and hospitality.