Shloka 33

अन्नदान-प्रशंसा (Praise of the Gift of Food) | Annadāna-Praśaṃsā

Devanagari script

दूराच्छूद्रेणोपचर्यो ब्राह्मणो5ग्निरिव ज्वलन्‌

Transliteration

dūrāc chūdreṇopacaryo brāhmaṇo 'gnir iva jvalan

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—آگ کی طرح دہکتا ہوا برہمن شُودر کے لیے ایسا ہے کہ اُس کی خدمت بھی دور ہی سے کرنی چاہیے۔

Word by Word

• दूरात्: from afar
• दूरात्: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूर
• Form: Ablatival adverb (from 'दूर' with -त्)

• शूद्रेण: by a Śūdra
• शूद्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• उपचर्यः: to be attended/served
• उपचर्यः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपचर्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; Gerundive (तव्य/य) sense: 'to be attended/served'

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अग्निः: fire
• अग्निः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: Particle of comparison

• ज्वलन्: blazing, shining
• ज्वलन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्वल्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; Present active participle (शतृ)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• brāhmaṇa
• śūdra
• agni (fire)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that service and approach should follow prescribed boundaries: a brāhmaṇa, compared to blazing fire, is to be honored with caution and proper distance by a śūdra, emphasizing regulated conduct and reverence toward perceived spiritual potency.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s dharma-instruction discourse (Anuśāsana Parva), he lays down norms of conduct among varṇas; here he uses the metaphor of fire to prescribe how a śūdra should attend upon a brāhmaṇa—by serving respectfully while maintaining distance.