Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

स्वशक्त्यनुगुणं विप्रमेकं द्वौ त्रीनकिंचनः । भोजयेन्नहि दौर्गत्यं भवेदस्य कदाचन

Transliteration

svaśaktyanuguṇaṃ vipramekaṃ dvau trīnakiṃcanaḥ | bhojayennahi daurgatyaṃ bhavedasya kadācana

Translation

Selbst ein Armer soll nach seiner Kraft einen Brahmanen speisen — oder zwei oder drei; denn dann wird ihn niemals Unglück treffen.

Word by Word

• sva: one's own
• sva: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (genitive qualifier)

• śaktyā: by (one's) power/ability
• śaktyā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; साधन/हेतु-भावः (instrumental)

• anuguṇam: according/suitable (to)
• anuguṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu√guṇ (धातु) + a (प्रत्यय) → anuguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्मविशेषणम् (object-qualifier)

• vipram: a brāhmaṇa
• vipram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• ekam: one
• ekam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषणम्

• dvau: two
• dvau: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषणम्

• trīn: three
• trīn: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम्

• akiṃcanaḥ: a poor man (one who has nothing)
• akiṃcanaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-kiṃcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणवत् (as predicate/agent descriptor)

• bhojayet: should feed
• bhojayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (धातु) [भोजने]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/indeed)

• daurgatyam: poverty/misfortune
• daurgatyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daurgatya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• bhavet: would be/should occur
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु) [सत्तायाम्]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• asya: of him
• asya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• kadācana: ever/at any time
• kadācana: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadācana (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra (Setu)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A modest householder/pilgrim at Setu offers a simple meal—rice, water, and a small dakṣiṇā—to one to three Brāhmaṇas; the atmosphere is calm, with the sea-breeze and a sense of protection from misfortune.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is not measured by wealth—sincere giving within one’s means brings protection and wellbeing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse emphasizes universal Mahālaya-śrāddha dharma taught in Setukhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Feed at least one worthy Brāhmaṇa (or more) according to capacity as part of ancestral observances.