We serve Annaprasadam distribution with this very principle in mind, for among the hungry crowd there may also be the anonymous genuine devotee, saint or even Devata.

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Importance of Annadanam

 gavamkunduyanamkuryat
gograsamgaupradaksinam
gosunityamprasannasu
gopala pi prasidati

 

The Sanskrit word Annadānam literally means the offering or sharing (dānam) of food (annam). In every ethnic and religious community across the Indian subcontinent, no festival or ceremony is complete without annadānam, or at least with out the distribution of prasādam.

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Accordingly, the importance of food is stressed in ancient scriptures, including the Vedas, Upanisads, Dharma Sastras, DhammaPāda, etc. Taittiriya Upanishad declares, ‘All life force comes from food.’ (annamvaiprānah) and ‘Let food be produced in plenty’ (annambahukurveet).

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In Bhagavad Gita, Śrī Krishna declares,

annadbhavantibhutani
parjanyadanna-sambhavah
yajnadbhavatiparjanyo
yajnah karma-samudbhavah

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“All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties.”

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GajaturagaSahasramGokulamkotidanam
Kanaka RajathapatramMethinisagarantham
UpayakulavishuttamKotikanyapradanam
NahinahibahudanamAnnadanamsamanam

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“Donating 1000 elephants & horses, donating 10 million cows, donating any number of vessels of silver and gold, donating the entire land till sea, offering the entire services of the clan, helping in the marriage of 10 million women, all this is never ever equal to Annadanam, the feeding of hungry and needy.”

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Donations towards Annadanam Seva are exempt from income tax under section 80G