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Srikrishna here recalls that even Srirama, during his days in the forest, had to run around in search of food. While thus searching for food, he along with his brother, Lakshmana, had to live in want.  And he concludes that it must be because of their not having sufficiently given of food earlier (anannadana). Srirama says <blockquote>यन्न प्राप्यं तदप्राप्यं विद्यया पौरुषेण वा । सत्यो लोकप्रवादोऽयं नादत्तमुपतिष्ठति ॥ (Bhav. Pura. 4.169.6)</blockquote>Meaning : What we have not earned, we shall not get, neither by knowledge, nor by education. It is truly said that what is not given, cannot be enjoyed.

Srikrishna here recalls that even Srirama, during his days in the forest, had to run around in search of food. While thus searching for food, he along with his brother, Lakshmana, had to live in want.  And he concludes that it must be because of their not having sufficiently given of food earlier (anannadana). Srirama says <blockquote>यन्न प्राप्यं तदप्राप्यं विद्यया पौरुषेण वा । सत्यो लोकप्रवादोऽयं नादत्तमुपतिष्ठति ॥ (Bhav. Pura. 4.169.6)</blockquote>Meaning : What we have not earned, we shall not get, neither by knowledge, nor by education. It is truly said that what is not given, cannot be enjoyed.

Recalling the Anannadana experience of Srirama, Srikrishna begins to tell the consequences of [[King Sveta and Anannadana (अनन्नदानम्)|Anannadana by King Sveta]], the king who lived a life of dharma and who was generous with his giving at the proper occasion, but who gave no food to any seeker and therefore had to suffer the pangs of hunger even in the heavens that he had earned by his otherwise righteous conduct. King Sveta was finally relieved of his terrible fate by sage Agastya, who accepted food from his hands and thus freed him of the taint of anannadana.<ref name=":0" />

Recalling the Anannadana experience of Srirama, Srikrishna begins to tell the consequences of [[Raja Shveta and Anannadana (अनन्नदानम्)|Anannadana by Raja Shveta]], the king who lived a life of dharma and who was generous with his giving at the proper occasion, but who gave no food to any seeker and therefore had to suffer the pangs of hunger even in the heavens that he had earned by his otherwise righteous conduct. Raja Shveta  was finally relieved of his terrible fate by sage Agastya, who accepted food from his hands and thus freed him of the taint of anannadana.<ref name=":0" />

== अन्नदानं सदाव्रतम् ॥ Annadana is Sadavrata ==

== अन्नदानं सदाव्रतम् ॥ Annadana is Sadavrata ==

The story of King Sveta also appears in the Varahapurana, where it is told by Sri Varaha to Dharani or Bhudevi, when she asks to be instructed about the vrata or sacred observance for earthly men. Sri Varaha says that long ago a similar request was made by king Sveta to Vashistha maharshi, to which the reply was<blockquote>अन्नं देहि सदा राजन् सर्वकालसुखावहम् ।। अन्नेन चैव दत्तेन किं न दत्तं महीतले ।।६०।। (Vara. Pura. 99.60) </blockquote><blockquote>सर्वेषामेव दानानामन्नदानं विशिष्यते ।। अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि अन्नेनैव च वर्द्धते ।।६१।। (Vara. Pura. 99.61)<ref>Varaha Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5%AF%E0%A5%AF Adhyaya 99])</ref></blockquote>O King ! give food. Giving good ensures well-being at all times. One who gives food gives all that is worth giving on the surface of the earth. Having given food, nothing remains un-given.<ref name=":0" />

The story of Raja Shveta also appears in the Varahapurana, where it is told by Sri Varaha to Dharani or Bhudevi, when she asks to be instructed about the vrata or sacred observance for earthly men. Sri Varaha says that long ago a similar request was made by Raja Shveta to Vashistha maharshi, to which the reply was<blockquote>अन्नं देहि सदा राजन् सर्वकालसुखावहम् ।। अन्नेन चैव दत्तेन किं न दत्तं महीतले ।।६०।। (Vara. Pura. 99.60) </blockquote><blockquote>सर्वेषामेव दानानामन्नदानं विशिष्यते ।। अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि अन्नेनैव च वर्द्धते ।।६१।। (Vara. Pura. 99.61)<ref>Varaha Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5%AF%E0%A5%AF Adhyaya 99])</ref></blockquote>O King ! give food. Giving good ensures well-being at all times. One who gives food gives all that is worth giving on the surface of the earth. Having given food, nothing remains un-given.<ref name=":0" />

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, Raja Shveta , 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 [[Raja Shveta and Anannadana (अनन्नदानम्)|Raja Shveta and Anannnadana]].

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).  

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

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.

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" />

== अन्नबाहुल्यम् ॥ 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 Raja Shveta , 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 Raja Shveta 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.

"O kings of the earth, this great yajna of yours has not yet equaled the one single measure of roasted grain given away by a generous resident of Kuruksetra, who himself used to live off the left-over grains painstakingly collected from harvested fields and marketplaces."  

"O kings of the earth, this great yajna of yours has not yet equaled the one single measure of roasted grain given away by a generous resident of Kuruksetra, who himself used to live off the left-over grains painstakingly collected from harvested fields and marketplaces."  

And on being asked the reason for this unbelievable assertion, the mongoose begins to tell the story of [[Annadana by Unchavritti Brahmana (उञ्छवृत्तिब्राह्मणः)]] austere, but generous, brahmana of Kuruksetra. (Maha. Asva. 90.7)  

And on being asked the reason for this unbelievable assertion, the mongoose begins to tell the story of [[Annadana by Unchavrtti Brahmana (उञ्छवृत्तिब्राह्मणः)]] austere, but generous, brahmana of Kuruksetra. (Maha. Asva. 90.7)  

=== 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 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.  

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.