Shloka 6
The Supremacy of Food-Charity and the Rāma–Śambūka Episode
Child Revived through Rājadharma
अन्नदानं परं विप्राः कीर्तयंति सदोत्थिताः । अन्नदानात्सुरेद्रेण त्रैलोक्यमिह भुज्यते
annadānaṃ paraṃ viprāḥ kīrtayaṃti sadotthitāḥ | annadānātsuredreṇa trailokyamiha bhujyate
اے وِپروں! تم جو ہمیشہ بیدار رہ کر ستائش کرتے ہو، اَنّ دان کو سب سے اعلیٰ دان کہتے ہو؛ کیونکہ اَنّ دان کے سبب دیویندر بھی یہاں تینوں لوکوں کی حکمرانی بھوگتا ہے۔
Unspecified (narratorial voice addressing ‘viprāḥ’ within the Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa discourse)
Concept: Annadāna is ‘parama’—the highest gift—because it sustains life itself; even Indra’s lordship is grounded in such merit.
Application: Make feeding others a priority form of charity; support kitchens/annakṣetras; offer food first to God (naivedya) and then share as prasāda.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A circle of vigilant brāhmaṇas stands in a sacrificial hall, hands raised in formal praise, while a donor distributes abundant food in orderly rows. In the background, Indra on Airāvata is shown not as arbitrary ruler but as one whose crown glows from the merit-stream of annadāna, symbolically linking charity to cosmic governance.","primary_figures":["brāhmaṇas (viprāḥ)","donor distributing food","Indra (Sura-indra)","Airāvata (symbolic)","attendants with vessels of food"],"setting":"Sacrificial pavilion with vedi, ladles, and orderly seating; a celestial vignette behind/above with Indra’s court.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit with a rising aura","color_palette":["vermillion red","burnished gold","pearl white","deep indigo","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: brāhmaṇas in white dhotis praising annadāna around a richly decorated hall; donor with gold vessels; Indra enthroned above with gold leaf crown and halo, Airāvata rendered with ornate caparison; thick gold embossing on jewelry, pillars, and food vessels; saturated reds and greens with gem-like highlights.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined assembly of vipras in a courtyard, delicate gestures of praise; donor serving food on leaf plates; a small cloud-window shows Indra’s sovereignty as a poetic emblem; cool palette, fine textile patterns, gentle facial expressions, architectural details in light washes.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic brāhmaṇas in rhythmic arrangement, donor at center with stylized vessels; Indra in upper register with bold outlines and flat pigments; strong reds/yellows/greens, symmetrical temple-wall composition, expressive eyes and ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: annadāna scene framed by lotus vines and peacock corners; Indra motif subtly placed in upper medallion; deep blue ground with gold detailing, repetitive floral borders, devotional symmetry, intricate patterns on vessels and textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"celebratory","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["hand bell accents","mridangam soft strokes","conch shell at refrain","murmur of a gathered assembly"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: sadotthitāḥ = sadā + utthitāḥ (ā + u → o); annadānātsuredreṇa = annadānāt + surendreṇa (t + s → ts); trailokyam iha (no significant sandhi).
FAQs
It elevates anna-dāna (donating food) as a foremost form of charity, implying that sustaining life is the most direct and universal dharmic service.
Indra is used as an exemplar: if even the king of the gods attains and enjoys dominion through the merit of food-giving, then the practice is portrayed as extraordinarily potent.
Within a creation-oriented section, it highlights a sustaining principle of the created order: nourishment and support of beings through dharma, with anna-dāna presented as a key sustaining act.