Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

आशंसन्ते हि पितर: सुवृष्टिमिव कर्षका: । अस्माकमपि पुत्रो वा पौत्रो वान्नं प्रदास्यति

Transliteration

āśaṃsante hi pitaraḥ suvṛṣṭim iva karṣakāḥ | asmākam api putro vā pautro vānnaṃ pradāsyati ||

Translation

那罗陀说道：正如农夫渴望适时而丰沛的甘霖，祖先们也怀着希望等待，心想：“总有一天，我们的儿子或孙子必会为我们献上食物。”

Word by Word

• आशंसन्ते: hope, expect
• आशंसन्ते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-शंस्
• Form: Lat, Ātmanepada, Prathama, Bahuvacana

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• पितरः: the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Pum, Prathama, Bahuvacana

• सुवृष्टिम्: good rainfall
• सुवृष्टिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवृष्टि
• Form: Stri, Dvitiya, Eкавacana

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• कर्षकाः: farmers
• कर्षकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्षक
• Form: Pum, Prathama, Bahuvacana

• अस्माकम्: of us, our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• पुत्रः: a son
• पुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Pum, Prathama, Eकवचन

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• पौत्रः: a grandson
• पौत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौत्र
• Form: Pum, Prathama, Eकवचन

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• अन्नम्: food, rice
• अन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न
• Form: Napum, Dvitiya, Eकवचन

• प्रदास्यति: will give, will offer
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा
• Form: Lṛṭ, Parasmaipada, Prathama, Eकवचन

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• son (putra)
• grandson (pautra)
• food (anna)
• farmers (karṣakāḥ)
• rainfall (suvṛṣṭi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores pitṛdharma: descendants should sustain the ancestral line of care through offerings (especially food in śrāddha). Ancestors are portrayed as depending on and hoping for the dutiful generosity of sons or grandsons, making filial responsibility an ethical obligation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada explains the mindset of the Pitṛs by using a vivid simile: as farmers await good rain for their livelihood, the ancestors await the day when a descendant will provide them food-offerings, highlighting the importance of continuing rites and family duty.