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=== गृहस्थधर्मः ॥ Grihasthadharma ===

=== गृहस्थधर्मः ॥ Grihasthadharma ===

One  of the most attractive  statements of  this centrality occurs in  the  anusasanaparvan  of Mahabharata, where  Bhishma  narrates  how  in  earlier  times Srikrishna undertakes great austerities  on  the  Himalayas, and upon his urging, Narada begins  to recall a long discussion, on different  aspects  of dharma reflected as Uma Shankara Samvada () while  they are  living the life  of a happy man  and wife  on  the  Himalayas, which  in  the presence  of the  divine  couple joyously blossom  with natural splendour  and  beauty.

One  of the most attractive  statements of  this centrality occurs in  the  anusasanaparvan  of Mahabharata, where  Bhishma  narrates  how  in  earlier  times Srikrishna undertakes great austerities  on  the  Himalayas, and upon his urging, Narada begins  to recall a long discussion, on different  aspects  of dharma reflected as Uma Shankara Samvada (उमाशङ्करसंवादः) while  they are  living the life  of a happy man  and wife  on  the  Himalayas, which  in  the presence  of the  divine  couple joyously blossom  with natural splendour  and  beauty.

To answer the question as to who should perform annadana, the texts have laid down many principles to grihasthas regarding the offering to food to devatas, men and other bhutas (animals, birds, insects). Though annadana has to be performed by everyone based on their capacity, it is the responsibility of the grhastha to provide for the sustenance of the daily routine of life around him, which is celebrated in the Indian classical texts as the [[Panchamahayajnas (पञ्चमहायज्ञाः)|Panchamahayajna]].  

To answer the question as to who should perform annadana, the texts have laid down many principles to grihasthas regarding the offering to food to devatas, men and other bhutas (animals, birds, insects). Though annadana has to be performed by everyone based on their capacity, it is the responsibility of the grhastha to provide for the sustenance of the daily routine of life around him, which is celebrated in the Indian classical texts as the [[Panchamahayajnas (पञ्चमहायज्ञाः)|Panchamahayajna]].  

However, King Sveta, unimpressed by Vashistha maharshi's advice, thought that food was too insignificant an object to be worthy of giving from the hands of a great king like him. The rest of the story follows as given in [[King Sveta and Anannadana (अनन्नदानम्)|King Sveta and Anannnadana]].

However, King Sveta, unimpressed by Vashistha maharshi's advice, thought that food was too insignificant an object to be worthy of giving from the hands of a great king like him. The rest of the story follows as given in [[King Sveta and Anannadana (अनन्नदानम्)|King Sveta and Anannnadana]].

Hemadri in Chaturvarga Chintamani, Vratakanda, describes the importance of Annadana and recounts the story of King Sveta. While attributing his section on annadanamahatmya to the Bhavisyapurana, Hemadri adds that annadana is sadavrata (सदाव्रतम्).  

Hemadri in Chaturvarga Chintamani, Vratakanda, also describes the importance of Annadana and recounts the story of King Sveta. While attributing his section on annadanamahatmya to the Bhavisyapurana, Hemadri adds that annadana is sadavrata (सदाव्रतम्).  

Literally, sadavrata implies a vrata, an observance, that is performed at all times. And from the context in which Hemadri uses this term, it obviously implies that while the various fasts and observances described in the rest of the vratakhanda are all undertaken at particular times — at particular seasons, particular days and particular conjunctions of the celestial objects — the vrata of annadana is not subject to the considerations of time. It is to be undertaken always, at all times. Annadana is sadavrata, while all others are naimittikavratas, vratas of specified times and occasions.

Literally, sadavrata implies a vrata, a sacred observance, that is performed at all times. And from the context in which Hemadri uses this term, it obviously implies that while the various fasts and observances described in the rest of the vratakhanda are all undertaken at particular times — at particular seasons, particular days and particular conjunctions of the celestial objects — the vrata of annadana is not subject to the considerations of time. It is to be undertaken always, at all times. Annadana is sadavrata, while all others are naimittikavratas, vratas of specified times and occasions.

Sadavrata, incidentally, is the name that Indians across the country prefer to use for annadana even today.<ref name=":0" />

Sadavrata, incidentally, is the name that Indians across the country prefer to use for annadana even today.<ref name=":0" />

== Sharing Food ==

== अन्नबाहुल्यम् ॥ Sharing Food ==

The story of King Sveta, depicts the the terrible sin of eating with one's doors shut upon others; of having one's fill, while men, animals and birds around remain un-fed; and of enjoying a meal while young children watch with hungry eyes. The great and righteous king Sveta sitting all alone on the banks of a beauteous lake in the midst of a rich forest full of delicious roots and fruit, and eating the flesh of his own corporeal body, represents the culmination of such eating without sharing.

The story of King Sveta, depicts the the terrible sin of eating with one's doors shut upon others; of having one's fill, while men, animals and birds around remain un-fed; and of enjoying a meal while young children watch with hungry eyes. The great and righteous king Sveta sitting all alone on the banks of a beauteous lake in the midst of a rich forest full of delicious roots and fruit, and eating the flesh of his own corporeal body, represents the culmination of such eating without sharing.

The fate that befalls Sveta is thus the fruit of his conduct. This attitude is enshrined in the most basic of Indian texts. Thus, the Taittriyopanishad advises in its resounding verses:<blockquote>न कञ्चन वसतौ प्रत्याचक्षीत । तद्व्रतम् । तस्माद्यया कया च विधया बह्वन्नं प्राप्नुयात् । अराध्यस्मा अन्नमित्याचक्षते । ... । एदद्वा अन्ततोऽन्नँराद्धम् । अन्ततोऽस्मा अन्नँराध्यते ॥ १ ॥(Tait. Upan. Bhru. 10.1) <ref name=":1" /></blockquote>Do not send away anyone who comes to your door, without offering him food and hospitality. That is the inviolable discipline of mankind; and the one, who prepares and gives food in a small measure with low care and veneration, obtains food in the same small measure and with similar abjectness.

The fate that befalls Sveta is thus the fruit of his conduct. This attitude is enshrined in the most basic of Indian texts. Thus, the Taittriyopanishad advises in its resounding verses:<blockquote>न कञ्चन वसतौ प्रत्याचक्षीत । तद्व्रतम् । तस्माद्यया कया च विधया बह्वन्नं प्राप्नुयात् । अराध्यस्मा अन्नमित्याचक्षते । ... । एदद्वा अन्ततोऽन्नँराद्धम् । अन्ततोऽस्मा अन्नँराध्यते ॥ १ ॥(Tait. Upan. Bhru. 10.1) <ref name=":1" /></blockquote>Do not send away anyone who comes to your door, without offering him food and hospitality. That is the inviolable discipline of mankind; and the one, who prepares and gives food in a small measure with low care and veneration, obtains food in the same small measure and with similar abjectness.

Therefore, have a great abundance of food, and exert all your efforts towards ensuring such abundance; and announce to the world that this abundance of food is ready, to be partaken of by all.

Therefore, have a great abundance of food, and exert all your efforts towards ensuring such abundance; and announce to the world that this abundance of food is ready, to be partaken of by all.<ref name=":0" />

== अन्नदानमाहात्म्यम् || Annadana Mahatmya ==

== अन्नदानमाहात्म्यम् || Annadana Mahatmya ==

The role of anna and annadana is greatly acclaimed in achieving the Purushardharas (Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha) and this aspect is highlighted in various texts. The greatness of Anna and Annadana are stressed upon in Vanaparva, Anushasana parva and Asvamedhika parva.   

The role of anna and annadana is greatly acclaimed in achieving the Purushardharas (Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha) and this aspect is highlighted in various texts. The greatness of Anna and Annadana are stressed upon in Vanaparva, Anushasana parva and Asvamedhika parva of Mahabharata.   

Mahabharata extols, in Asvamedhika Parva<blockquote>यस्मादन्नात्प्रवर्तन्ते धर्मार्थौ काम एव च। तस्मादन्नात्परं दानं नामुत्रेह च पाण्डव।। (Maha. Asva. 14.101.28)</blockquote>O Pandunandana ! The conduct of Dharma, Ardha and Kama are by Anna, hence there is nothing greater than anna neither on earth nor in the other worlds.<ref>Shastri, Ramnarayanadatta Pandey. ''[https://archive.org/stream/Mahabharata04SanskritHindiPanditRamnarayanGitaPress/Mahabharata06_Sanskrit-hindi_panditRamnarayan_gitaPress#page/n1001/mode/2up Mahabharata Volume 6 (With Hindi Translation)]'' Gorakhpur : Gita Press</ref>   

Mahabharata extols, in Asvamedhika Parva<blockquote>यस्मादन्नात्प्रवर्तन्ते धर्मार्थौ काम एव च। तस्मादन्नात्परं दानं नामुत्रेह च पाण्डव॥ (Maha. Asva. 14.101.28)</blockquote>O Pandunandana ! The conduct of Dharma, Ardha and Kama are by Anna, hence there is nothing greater than anna neither on earth nor in the other worlds.<ref>Shastri, Ramnarayanadatta Pandey. ''[https://archive.org/stream/Mahabharata04SanskritHindiPanditRamnarayanGitaPress/Mahabharata06_Sanskrit-hindi_panditRamnarayan_gitaPress#page/n1001/mode/2up Mahabharata Volume 6 (With Hindi Translation)]'' Gorakhpur : Gita Press</ref>   

In the Mahabharata, Bhishma describing the greatness of annadana and jaladana to Yudhisthira, says<blockquote>न तस्मात्परमं दानं किञ्चिदस्तीति मे मनः। अन्नात्प्राणभृतस्तात प्रवर्ध[र्त]न्ते हि सर्वशः॥ (Maha. Anush. 13.67.5)</blockquote><blockquote>तस्मादन्नं परं लोके सर्वलोकेषु कथ्यते। अन्नाद्बलं च तेजश्च प्राणिनां वर्धते सदा॥ (Maha. Anush. 13.67.6)</blockquote>Meaning : I believe there is no dana greater than the dana of food and water, because all beings are indeed born of anna, and from anna alone they obtain sustenance for living. That is why anna is said to be highest in this world. The bala (strength) and tejas (vitality) of all living beings always depends upon anna.<ref name=":0" />

In the Mahabharata, Bhishma describing the greatness of annadana and jaladana to Yudhisthira, says<blockquote>न तस्मात्परमं दानं किञ्चिदस्तीति मे मनः। अन्नात्प्राणभृतस्तात प्रवर्धन्ते हि सर्वशः॥ (Maha. Anush. 13.67.5)</blockquote><blockquote>तस्मादन्नं परं लोके सर्वलोकेषु कथ्यते। अन्नाद्बलं च तेजश्च प्राणिनां वर्धते सदा॥ (Maha. Anush. 13.67.6)</blockquote>Meaning : I believe there is no dana greater than the dana of food and water, because all beings are indeed born of anna, and from anna alone they obtain sustenance for living. That is why anna is said to be highest in this world. The bala (strength) and tejas (vitality) of all living beings always depends upon anna.<ref name=":0" />

Teaching the greatness of annadana to Yudhisthira, SriKrishna  says:<blockquote>अन्नेन धार्यते सर्वं जगदेतच्चराचरम्। अन्नात्प्रभवति प्राणः प्रत्यक्षं नास्ति संशयः॥ (Maha. Asva. Parv. 14.108.28)</blockquote>The world, both animate and inanimate, is sustained by food. Life arises from food: this is observed all around, and there can be no doubt about it. Therefore, one who wishes to attain well-being in this world and beyond should offer food to all who seek. One should give food in accordance with time and place, and should keep giving to the limits of one's capacity, even if it were to cause inconvenience to one's own family.  Finding an old person, a child, a tired traveler or a venerable one at the door, a householder should offer him worshipful  hospitality, with gladness in his heart, as he would to his own teacher.  Desirous of well-being beyond this world, the householder should purge himself of all anger, all jealousy, and offer worshipful hospitality, with grace and courtesy, to the one who appears at the door.  Never offer slight to a person appearing at your door, never let a falsehood escape from your lips in his presence, and never ever ask him about his lineage or learning.  The one who appears at the door at the proper time, even if he were an outcaste or such a one as partakes of the flesh of dog, deserves to be worshipped with the offering of food by him who seeks well-being beyond this world.  

Teaching the greatness of annadana to Yudhisthira, SriKrishna  says:<blockquote>अन्नेन धार्यते सर्वं जगदेतच्चराचरम्। अन्नात्प्रभवति प्राणः प्रत्यक्षं नास्ति संशयः॥ (Maha. Asva. Parv. 14.108.28)</blockquote>The world, both animate and inanimate, is sustained by food. Life arises from food: this is observed all around, and there can be no doubt about it. Therefore, one who wishes to attain well-being in this world and beyond should offer food to all who seek. One should give food in accordance with time and place, and should keep giving to the limits of one's capacity, even if it were to cause inconvenience to one's own family.  Finding an old person, a child, a tired traveler or a venerable one at the door, a householder should offer him worshipful  hospitality, with gladness in his heart, as he would to his own teacher.  Desirous of well-being beyond this world, the householder should purge himself of all anger, all jealousy, and offer worshipful hospitality, with grace and courtesy, to the one who appears at the door.  Never offer slight to a person appearing at your door, never let a falsehood escape from your lips in his presence, and never ever ask him about his lineage or learning.  The one who appears at the door at the proper time, even if he were an outcaste or such a one as partakes of the flesh of dog, deserves to be worshipped with the offering of food by him who seeks well-being beyond this world.  

=== कपोतदम्पती कथा ॥ Story of Kapotadampati ===

=== कपोतदम्पती कथा ॥ Story of Kapotadampati ===

The Mahabharata records another touching story of a host giving up his all, in fact his very life, to satisfy the hunger of the guest. The host in this other story is a bird, a pigeon, and the guest a hunter who has earlier encaged the bird-wife of the pigeon. The story is in a way a premonition of the story that the mongoose tells towards the end of Yudhisthira's asvamedhayajna: the story of the brahmana who gathers his food grain by grain, like a pigeon, and gives up what he has gathered for the sake of a guest, putting his own life and the life of his entire family in jeopardy.  

While texts abound with sacrifice and dana of great kings like [[Shibi Chakravarti (शिबिचक्रवर्तिः)|Shibi Chakravarty]] (who gave away his own flesh to save a dove) and [[Rantideva (रन्तिदेवः)|Rantideva]] (who showed exceptional hospitality) the Mahabharata records another touching story of a host giving up his all, in fact his very life, to satisfy the hunger of the even an unworthy cruel guest. The host in this other story is a bird, a pigeon, and the guest a hunter who has earlier encaged the bird-wife of the pigeon. The story is in a way a premonition of the story that the mongoose tells towards the end of Yudhisthira's asvamedhayajna: the story of the brahmana who gathers his food grain by grain, like a pigeon, and gives up what he has gathered for the sake of a guest, putting his own life and the life of his entire family in jeopardy.  

Bhishma tells Yudhisthira, the heart rendering story of [[Atithi Satkara by Kapotadampati (कपोतदम्पती)]] where a couple of self-sacrificing pigeons offer hospitality to a hunter, in the apaddharma-parva of santiparva. Bhishma says that in earlier times it was told to Mucukunda by Parasurama, when the former had sought to know the dharma of looking after one who comes to the abode seeking protection.

Bhishma tells Yudhisthira, the heart rendering story of [[Atithi Satkara by Kapotadampati (कपोतदम्पती)]] where a couple of self-sacrificing pigeons offer hospitality to a hunter, in the apaddharma-parva of shantiparva. Bhishma says that in earlier times it was told to Mucukunda by Parasurama, when the former had sought to know the dharma of looking after one who comes to the abode seeking protection.

Such is the foundation of the Bharitya Sanatana culture. This is the difference between western culture and our eternal Sanatan culture.  The reason for poverty and hunger caused by scarcity can be traced to neglecting our civilizational principles. Culture cannot sustain on a hungry stomach. Basic necessities of life and wisdom that shape our life in family life and those who are instrumental in building and sustaining our family, like women, food, and beauty should never be on sale. Anna, Veda and beauty when commodified have dangerous consequences that destroy life and wellbeing. The principles enshrined in our shastras clearly reveal the degradation of ‘modern’ lifestyles due to the disconnect with our traditional systems and  kind of life.

Such is the foundation of the Bharitya Sanatana Dharma. This is the difference between western culture and our eternal Sanatana culture.  The reason for poverty and hunger caused by scarcity can be traced to neglecting our civilizational principles. Culture cannot sustain on a hungry stomach. Basic necessities of life and wisdom that shape our life in family life and those who are instrumental in building and sustaining our family, like women, food, and beauty should never be on sale. Anna, Veda and beauty when commodified have dangerous consequences that destroy life and wellbeing. The principles enshrined in our shastras clearly reveal the degradation of ‘modern’ lifestyles due to the disconnect with our traditional systems and  kind of life.

== Annavitarana Vs Annavikrayana ==

== Annavitarana Vs Annavikrayana ==