Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

अन्ने दत्ते नरेणेह प्राणा दत्ता भवन्त्युत

Transliteration

anne datte nareṇeha prāṇā dattā bhavanty uta |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“在此世间，若有人施与食物，便如同施与生命本身；因为没有任何布施大过赐命之施。噢，臂力无双者，就此你也必定听过仙人洛摩沙（Lomaśa）所说的那番话。”

Word by Word

• अन्ने: in/with respect to food
• अन्ने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• दत्ते: when (it is) given
• दत्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Neuter, Locative, Singular

• नरेण: by a man
• नरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• इह: here (in this world)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• प्राणाः: life-breaths; lives
• प्राणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दत्ताः: given
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भवन्ति: become; are (considered)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• उत: indeed; also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Lomasha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Giving food is equated with giving life, because food sustains the prāṇas (vital forces). Therefore, anna-dāna is presented as among the highest forms of charity and a central expression of dharma and compassion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is instructing (Yudhishthira) on dharma related to gifts and merit. He emphasizes the supreme value of feeding others and supports the point by referring to an earlier authoritative saying associated with the sage Lomasha.