Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 155

Devanagari script

पितॄणां च ततः शेषं भोक्तुं माहेश्वरोऽर्हति । वाग्यतः शुचिराचांतः प्राङ्मुखोदङ्मुखोऽपि वा

Transliteration

pitṝṇāṃ ca tataḥ śeṣaṃ bhoktuṃ māheśvaro'rhati | vāgyataḥ śucirācāṃtaḥ prāṅmukhodaṅmukho'pi vā

Translation

ثم إن الباقي (بعد القرابين) يَحِلّ أن يأكله عابدُ ماهيشڤرا. فإذا كفَّ لسانه وتطهّر وأتى بالآچَمَنَة (ارتشاف ماءٍ طقسي)، فليأكل مُستقبِلًا الشرق، أو إن شاء فمُستقبِلًا الشمال.

Word by Word

• pitṝṇām: of the ancestors (pitṛs)
• pitṝṇām: Sambandha (Relation/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन (masc. gen. pl.)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (and)

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: thereafter/from that)

• śeṣam: the remainder
• śeṣam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• bhoktum: to eat
• bhoktum: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhuj (भुज् धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive): to eat

• māheśvaraḥ: a devotee of Maheśvara / Śaiva
• māheśvaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• arhati: is entitled/should
• arhati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (अर्ह् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd sg. pres. P.)

• vāk-yataḥ: restrained in speech
• vāk-yataḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāk (प्रातिपदिक) + yata (प्रातिपदिक; यम् धातु से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (restrained in speech)

• śuciḥ: pure
• śuciḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• ācāntaḥ: having performed ācamana
• ācāntaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-cam (आ+चम् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (having sipped/ācamana done)

• prāṅ-mukhaḥ: facing east
• prāṅ-mukhaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāṅ (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (whose face is to the east)

• udaṅ-mukhaḥ: facing north
• udaṅ-mukhaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udaṅ (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (whose face is to the north)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-निपात (or)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śiva-bhakta, after pitṛ-offerings, sits purified, performs ācamana, and eats prasāda facing east; a small Śiva-liṅga shrine and pitṛ-tarpaṇa vessels appear nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Maheśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Food becomes sanctified through prior offerings; a Śaiva devotee eats with restraint, cleanliness, and mindful orientation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is specified; the discipline is presented as general Māheśvara practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

After pitṛ-related offerings, eat the remainder only after ācamana, maintaining speech-restraint, facing east or north.