Shloka 11

Pānīya-dāna and Anna-dāna: The Primacy of Life-Sustaining Gifts (पानीयदान-प्रशंसा / अन्नदान-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

श्रान्तमध्वनि वर्तन्तं वृद्धमर्हमुपस्थितम्‌ । अर्चयेद्‌ भूतिमन्विच्छन्‌ गृहस्थो गृहमागतम्‌

Transliteration

śrāntam adhvani vartantaṃ vṛddham arham upasthitam | arcayed bhūtim anvicchan gṛhastho gṛham āgatam ||

Translation

Nếu một lữ khách già cả, đáng kính, vì đường xa mà mệt mỏi đến nhà, thì người gia chủ cầu phúc cho mình phải kính trọng và tiếp đãi vị khách ấy cho phải đạo. Câu kệ xem lòng hiếu khách không chỉ là phép lịch sự, mà là hành vi dharma đem lại điềm lành cho người cho.

Word by Word

• श्रान्तम्: tired
• श्रान्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रान्त (√श्रम्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अध्वनि: on the road/journey
• अध्वनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वर्तन्तम्: moving/going on (travelling)
• वर्तन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्तत् (√वृत्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वृद्धम्: old/aged
• वृद्धम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अर्हम्: worthy (of honor)
• अर्हम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्ह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपस्थितम्: arrived/present
• उपस्थितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपस्थित (उप-√स्था)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अर्चयेत्: should honor/worship
• अर्चयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्च्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भूतिम्: prosperity/welfare
• भूतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अन्विच्छन्: seeking/desiring
• अन्विच्छन्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्विच्छत् (अनु-√इष्/√इच्छ्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गृहस्थः: the householder
• गृहस्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गृहम्: to the house/home
• गृहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आगतम्: come/arrived
• आगतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आगत (आ-√गम्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• gṛhastha (householder)
• vṛddha atithi (aged guest/traveler)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A householder should honor a weary, elderly, worthy traveler who arrives as a guest; such reverent hospitality is presented as a direct means to one’s own welfare and auspicious prosperity (bhūti).

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada states a rule of conduct for householders: when an exhausted traveler—especially an aged and deserving person—comes to the home, the proper response is to receive and honor him respectfully, treating the guest as an object of reverence.