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

若有年迈而可敬的旅人，行路劳顿，来到家门，求自身福祉的居士当以应有的恭敬礼遇而迎纳之。此偈明示：待客非徒礼貌，乃合乎法（dharma）之行，能为施者招来吉祥。

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.