Source: # The Gift Greater Than Food — Traditional Sanskrit subhashita *The gift of food is a great gift; the gift of knowledge is greater still. Food satisfies for a moment; knowledge satisfies for a whole life.* अन्नदानं परं दानं विद्यादानमतः परम् । अन्नेन क्षणिका तृप्तिर्यावज्जीवं च विद्यया ॥ *annadanam param danam vidyadanam atah param | annena kshanika triptir yavajjivam ca vidyaya || How to say it: an-na-DAA-nam pa-ram DAA-nam, vid-yaa-DAA-nam a-tah pa-ram. an-NE-na kshan-i-KAA trip-tir, yaa-vaj-JEE-vam cha vid-YA-yaa.* The gift of food is a great gift; the gift of knowledge is greater still. Food satisfies for a moment; knowledge satisfies for a whole life. This is the verse most people mean when they say vidya-danam mahapunyam , “the gift of knowledge is a great merit.” It does not compare food with knowledge to belittle hunger; it says that a meal ends and an understanding stays. Families teach it to children before they can read. [All 35 chapters](https://satish.myadvisorfriend.com/chapters/) · [183 stories from real life](https://satish.myadvisorfriend.com/stories/) · [61 Hindu shloks for the mind](https://satish.myadvisorfriend.com/shlokas/) · [Psychology for Everyone – A Mental Well Being Series](https://satish.myadvisorfriend.com/) [myadvisorfriend@gmail.com](mailto:myadvisorfriend@gmail.com) · [Contact](https://satish.myadvisorfriend.com/contact/) · [About](https://satish.myadvisorfriend.com/about/) · [Privacy](https://satish.myadvisorfriend.com/privacy/) · [Disclaimer](https://satish.myadvisorfriend.com/disclaimer/) --- *Psychology for Everyone – A Mental Well Being Series* by Satish Zope · free to read · Contact: [myadvisorfriend@gmail.com](mailto:myadvisorfriend@gmail.com) · [About](https://satish.myadvisorfriend.com/about/) · [Privacy](https://satish.myadvisorfriend.com/privacy/) · [Disclaimer](https://satish.myadvisorfriend.com/disclaimer/)