Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

कारुकान्नं प्रजा हन्ति बलं निर्णेजकस्य च । गणान्नं गणिकान्नं च लोकेभ्यः परिकृन्तति

Transliteration

kārukānnaṃ prajā hanti balaṃ nirṇejakasya ca | gaṇānnaṃ gaṇikānnaṃ ca lokebhyaḥ parikṛntati

Translation

طعامُ الصانعِ يُهلكُ الذرّية؛ وطعامُ الغسّال يُهلكُ القوّة؛ وطعامُ خَدَمِ المعبد (gaṇa) وطعامُ الغانية يقطعان المرءَ عن العوالم العُليا.

Word by Word

• कारुकान्नम्: artisan’s food
• कारुकान्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारुक (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'कारुकस्य अन्नम्'

• प्रजाः: subjects/offspring
• प्रजाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• हन्ति: kills/destroys
• हन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निर्णेजकस्य: of the washerman/cleaner
• निर्णेजकस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्णेजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गणान्नम्: food of a troupe/association
• गणान्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'गणस्य अन्नम्' (food of a troupe/association)

• गणिकान्नम्: courtesan’s food
• गणिकान्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणिका (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'गणिकायाः अन्नम्'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• लोकेभ्यः: from the worlds
• लोकेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), बहुवचन

• परिकृन्तति: cuts off/severs
• परिकृन्तति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + कृन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral tableau: three pilgrims accept meals from an artisan, a washerman, and a courtesan/gaṇa; above each, symbolic losses appear—withered family tree (prajā), snapped mace (bala), and a severed stairway to luminous lokas (loka-viccheda).

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

One’s spiritual trajectory and household well-being are tied to disciplined consumption; careless acceptance can sever merit and destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where the Māhātmya emphasizes purity disciplines for those seeking higher lokas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A restrictive guideline on accepting food from particular sources, framed in terms of karmic results (loss of progeny, strength, and lokas).