Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

तत्रैकमपि यो देवि ब्राह्मणं भोजयिष्यति । विधिना विष्णुमुद्दिश्य कोटिर्भवति भोजिता

Transliteration

tatraikamapi yo devi brāhmaṇaṃ bhojayiṣyati | vidhinā viṣṇumuddiśya koṭirbhavati bhojitā

Translation

হে দেবী, সেখানে যে ব্যক্তি বিধিপূর্বক বিষ্ণুকে উদ্দেশ্য করে একজন ব্রাহ্মণকেও ভোজন করায়, তার সেই ভোজনদান কোটি ব্রাহ্মণ ভোজন করানোর সমান ফল দেয়।

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (even)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); एकवचन

• देवि: O goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative); एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणम्: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन

• भोजयिष्यति: will feed
• भोजयिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु) (णिच् causative: भोजय-)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• विधिना: according to rule/ritually
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd); एकवचन

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन

• उद्दिश्य: dedicating (to)
• उद्दिश्य: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्दिश्य (कृदन्त; √दिश् (धातु) + ल्यप्; उद्-उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund); क्रियाविशेषण (having intended/dedicated)

• कोटिः: a crore (ten million)
• कोटिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); एकवचन

• भवति: becomes/is
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd); एकवचन

• भोजिता: the feeding (merit)
• भोजिता: Karta (Predicate noun/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजित (कृदन्त; √भुज् (धातु) णिच् + क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; (भोजनक्रिया) भोजिता इति—'feeding/act of feeding' (कर्मणि भावे)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the luminous precincts of Prabhāsa, a pilgrim offers a sanctified meal to a seated brāhmaṇa, with a small Viṣṇu icon or śālagrāma present; attendants pour water for ācamana; the sea-breeze and temple banners suggest the coastal kṣetra.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Brāhmaṇa
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Proper intention (dedication to Viṣṇu) and proper method (vidhi) magnify the merit of charity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where annadāna gains extraordinary multiplied fruit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Feed a brāhmaṇa with proper observance, explicitly dedicating the act to Viṣṇu.