Shloka 15

Gopradāna-phalasaṃprāpti: Nāciketa’s Vision of Vaivasvata’s Realms (गोप्रदानफलसम्प्राप्तिः — नाचिकेतोपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

अन्नमेव मनुष्याणां प्राणानाहुर्मनीषिण: । तच्च सर्व नरव्यात्र पानीयात्‌ सम्प्रवर्तते

Transliteration

annam eva manuṣyāṇāṃ prāṇān āhur manīṣiṇaḥ | tac ca sarvaṃ naravyātra pānīyāt sampravartate ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“贤哲宣称，食物本身就是人类的生命之息。而这一切——世人赖以维生的全部资粮——归根到底皆由水而生。”

Word by Word

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• मनुष्याणाम्: of men/of human beings
• मनुष्याणाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• प्राणान्: vital breaths/lives
• प्राणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• आहुः: they say/call
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Plural

• मनीषिणः: the wise
• मनीषिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तत्: that (i.e., food)
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सर्वम्: all/entire
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• नरव्यात्रम्: human sustenance/maintenance of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरव्यात्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पानीयात्: from water/drink
• पानीयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पानीय
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• सम्प्रवर्तते: arises/proceeds/comes into operation
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रवृत्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• manīṣiṇaḥ (the wise/sages)
• anna (food)
• prāṇa (life-breath)
• pānīya (water)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Food is identified as the very basis of human life, and water is presented as the underlying source that enables food and thus sustains society; therefore, ensuring access to water and food is a central ethical duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma (Anuśāsana Parva), he emphasizes foundational supports of life—food and water—framing them as primary objects of care, governance, and charity.