Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

अथ सर्वानृषीञ्छ्रेष्ठान्दक्षिणाभिर्नृपोत्तमः । पूजयित्वा वरान्नेन भोजयित्वा च भक्तितः

Transliteration

atha sarvānṛṣīñchreṣṭhāndakṣiṇābhirnṛpottamaḥ | pūjayitvā varānnena bhojayitvā ca bhaktitaḥ

Translation

তখন শ্রেষ্ঠ রাজা সকল শ্রেষ্ঠ ঋষিকে দক্ষিণা দান করে সম্মান করলেন এবং ভক্তিভরে উৎকৃষ্ট অন্নে তাঁদের পূজা করে ভোজন করালেন।

Word by Word

• अथ: then, thereafter
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (indeclinable; sequence/beginning marker)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म); बहुवचन (plural)

• ऋषीन्: sages
• ऋषीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म); बहुवचन

• श्रेष्ठान्: excellent, foremost
• श्रेष्ठान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of ऋषीन्)

• दक्षिणाभिः: with gifts/fees (dakṣiṇās)
• दक्षिणाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण); बहुवचन

• नृपोत्तमः: the best of kings
• नृपोत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता); एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नृपाणाम् उत्तमः)

• पूजयित्वा: having honored
• पूजयित्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having done)

• वरान्नेन: with excellent food
• वरान्नेन: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण); एकवचन; कर्मधारय (वरम् अन्नम्)

• भोजयित्वा: having fed (made them eat)
• भोजयित्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) [णिच् causative: भोजय-]
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); णिजन्त-धातु (causative); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान); एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे—हेतौ/कारणे (from devotion; as cause)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; not explicit in verse snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A righteous king in a sabhā honors seated sages with dakṣiṇā and serves them a ceremonial feast of choice foods; attendants carry vessels, garlands, and gifts.

Characters & Entities

• nṛpottama (king)
• ṛṣi (sages)
• dakṣiṇā (gifts)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rāja-dharma includes reverence to sages through dāna and hospitality; devotion expressed as service becomes a source of puṇya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse emphasizes dharmic hospitality rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dakṣiṇā (charitable gifting to officiants/sages) and bhojana (feeding guests/sages) are explicitly mentioned.