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गर्भस्था जायमानाश्च बालवृद्धाश्च मध्यमाः ॥ आहारमभिकांक्षंति देवदानवराक्षसाः॥ २१॥
All persons, the child in the womb, the new born babe, the child, the middle aged man, the old man, the gods, the dānavas or Rākṣasas desire food.
english translation
क्षुधा निश्शेषरोगाणां व्याधिः श्रेष्ठतमः स्मृतः ॥ स चान्नौषधिलेपेन नश्यतीह न संशयः ॥ २२ ॥
Hunger is the acutest of all ailments. There is no doubt that it perishes on the application of the medicinal ointment viz food.
english translation
नास्ति क्षुधासमं दुःखं नास्ति रोगः क्षुधासमः ॥ नास्त्यरोगसमं सौख्यं नास्ति क्रोधसमो रिपुः ॥ २३॥
There is no misery equal to hunger; no sickness equal to hunger; no happiness on a par with being free from sickness and no enemy equal to anger.
english translation
अतएव महत्पुण्यमन्नदाने प्रकीर्तितम्॥ तथा क्षुधाग्निना तप्ता म्रियंते सर्वदेहिनः॥ २४॥
All embodied beings die when scorched by the fire of hunger. That is why it is glorified that there is great merit in the charitable gift of food.
english translation
अन्नदः प्राणदः प्रोक्तः प्राणदश्चापि सर्वदः॥ तस्मादन्नप्रदानेन सर्वदानफलं लभेत् ॥ २५॥
The giver of food is the giver of life. The giver of life is the giver of all. Hence one attains the benefit of gifting everything by means of the charitable gift of food.
english translation