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Annadanam or Dana of food (Samskrit : अन्नदानम्) is one of the greatest danas practiced since ancient days. The practice of offering or serving food to any soul, be it an uninvited person or animals or birds is referred to with great reverence. The term "anna" or "annam" chiefly implies "ahara" or food referring to "what is eaten is anna" as per Chandogya Upanishad. "Atithidevo bhava" The term atithi applies to anyone who appears at the door unexpected and uninvited and he is treated as a devata; this teaching of the Taittriya Upanishad has been a sanatana siddhanta, accepted and adhered to at all times in this holy land of Bharatavarsha.<ref name=":0">Bajaj, Jitendra and Mandayam, Srinivas. (1996) ''Annam Bahu Kurvita.'' Madras: Centre for Policy Studies Madras</ref>

Annadanam or Dana of food (Samskrit : अन्नदानम्) is one of the greatest danas practiced since ancient days. The practice of offering or serving food to any being, be it an uninvited person or animals or birds is referred to with great reverence. The term "anna" or "annam" chiefly implies "ahara" or food referring to "what is eaten is anna" as per Chandogya Upanishad. "Atithidevo bhava" The term atithi applies to anyone who appears at the door unexpected and uninvited and he is treated as a devata; this teaching of the Taittriya Upanishad has been a sanatana siddhanta, accepted and adhered to at all times in this holy land of Bharatavarsha.<ref name=":0">Bajaj, Jitendra and Mandayam, Srinivas. (1996) ''Annam Bahu Kurvita.'' Madras: Centre for Policy Studies Madras</ref>

== अन्नमहात्म्यम् '''||''' Anna Mahatmya ==

== अन्नमहात्म्यम् '''||''' Anna Mahatmya ==

O Yudhisthira! the one who shuts his door on all comers and indulges in the enjoyment of food for himself alone is certainly ensuring that the doors of heaven shall be shut upon him. And his virtue is indeed great who propitiates with food the ancestors, the gods, the sages, the venerable ones, the destitute and all those who appear at his door. The one who gives food to those who seek, and especially to the brahmana seekers, is rid of all papas, even if his papas were immense. The giver of food is the giver of life, and indeed of everything else. Therefore, one who is desirous of well-being in this world and beyond should specially endeavour to give food.<ref name=":0" />

O Yudhisthira! the one who shuts his door on all comers and indulges in the enjoyment of food for himself alone is certainly ensuring that the doors of heaven shall be shut upon him. And his virtue is indeed great who propitiates with food the ancestors, the gods, the sages, the venerable ones, the destitute and all those who appear at his door. The one who gives food to those who seek, and especially to the brahmana seekers, is rid of all papas, even if his papas were immense. The giver of food is the giver of life, and indeed of everything else. Therefore, one who is desirous of well-being in this world and beyond should specially endeavour to give food.<ref name=":0" />

Mahabharata extols, in Asvamedhika Parva<blockquote>यस्मादन्नात्प्रवर्तन्ते धर्मार्थौ काम एव च। तस्मादन्नात्परं दानं नामुत्रेह च पाण्डव॥ (Maha. Asva. 14.101.28)</blockquote><blockquote>''yasmādannātpravartante dharmārthau kāma eva ca। tasmādannātparaṁ dānaṁ nāmutreha ca pāṇḍava॥''</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><blockquote>''yasmādannātpravartante dharmārthau kāma eva ca। tasmādannātparaṁ dānaṁ nāmutreha ca pāṇḍava॥''</blockquote>O Pandunandana ! The conduct of Dharma, Artha 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>

== Legends about Annadana ==

== Legends about Annadana ==

While texts abound with sacrifice and dana of great kings such as [[Shibi Chakravarti (शिबिचक्रवर्तिः)|Shibi Chakravarti]] (who gave away his own flesh to save a dove) and [[Rantideva (रन्तिदेवः)|Rantideva]] (who showed exceptional hospitality), there are legends about the greatness of Annadana given in Mahabharata.

While texts abound with sacrifice and dana of great kings such as [[Shibi Chakravarti (शिबिचक्रवर्तिः)|Shibi Chakravarti]] (who gave away his own flesh to save a dove) and [[Rantideva (रन्तिदेवः)|Rantideva]] (who showed exceptional hospitality), there are legends about the greatness of Annadana given in Mahabharata.