anna dāyin

 anna dāyin in Sanskrit means “one who gives food”, a compound describing a food‑giver or benefactor who provides nourishment.

Core meaning

The term appears in Sanskrit as annadāyin (अन्नदायिन्), a compound of:

• anna — “food”
• dāyin — “giver” or “one who bestows”

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Together, the compound means “giving food” or “one who gives food”

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Usage and context

• It is used as an adjective meaning “food‑giving” or “charitable with food”

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• It can also function as a noun referring to a person who provides food to others.
• In some traditional contexts, Annadāyin is also listed as an epithet of Śiva

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  , highlighting the deity as a provider of sustenance.
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Related Sanskrit terms

The same source notes several synonyms built from the same root:

• annada — “giver of food”

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• annadātṛ — “food‑donor”

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• annaprada — “one who bestows food”

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Grammatical note

The form dāyin is a standard Sanskrit agentive suffix meaning “one who gives,” so the compound is a straightforward tatpuruṣa construction

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