Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

न देवार्थे न विप्रार्थे नातिथ्यर्थे पचेत्क्वचित् । तममुं स्वार्थपक्तारं कुंभीपाके पचांधक

Transliteration

na devārthe na viprārthe nātithyarthe pacetkvacit | tamamuṃ svārthapaktāraṃ kuṃbhīpāke pacāṃdhaka

Translation

Wer niemals für die Devas kocht, noch für Brāhmaṇas, noch für Gäste—koche jenen selbstsüchtigen Koch im Höllenort namens Kumbhīpāka, o Andhaka.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• deva-arthe: for a god's purpose
• deva-arthe: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; देवस्य अर्थे = देवकार्ये (locative of purpose)

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• vipra-arthe: for a brahmin's purpose
• vipra-arthe: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विप्रस्य अर्थे = ब्राह्मणकार्ये

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• atithya-arthe: for hospitality
• atithya-arthe: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātithya (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; आतिथ्यस्य अर्थे = अतिथिसत्कारार्थे

• pacet: should cook
• pacet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pac (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; √पच् = to cook

• kvacit: ever/at any time
• kvacit: Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/कालवाचक (adverb)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• amum: that one (yonder)
• amum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अदस्-प्रत्ययान्त सर्वनाम

• svārtha-paktāram: the one who cooks for his own sake
• svārtha-paktāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + paktṛ (प्रातिपदिक, कर्तृ-शब्द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; स्वार्थे पक्ता = स्वार्थपक्ता (for-himself cook)

• kuṃbhīpāke: in Kumbhīpāka (hell)
• kuṃbhīpāke: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṃbhīpāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; नरकविशेष (name of a hell)

• paca: cook (torment)
• paca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pac (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; √पच्

• andhaka: O Andhaka
• andhaka: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: andhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; यमदूत/अधिकृत-नाम

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa; addressing Andhaka as an infernal agent/figure within the narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Andhaka (as addressed in the verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stern divine emissary pronounces judgment on a miserly householder who cooks only for himself; in the background, a blazing cauldron-hell (Kumbhīpāka) with flames and iron vessels; contrast with a nearby scene of offering food to deity and guests.

Characters & Entities

• Deva
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Atithi (guest)
• Kumbhīpāka
• Andhaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Householder life is sanctified by sharing—offering to the Divine, honoring Brahmins, and serving guests; selfish consumption is condemned.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī framework, reinforcing dharma expected in the sacred city.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Cooking/food should be connected to deva-ārtha (offerings), vipra-ārtha (support of Brahmins), and ātithya (hospitality).