Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

दीपदः कीर्तिमाप्नोति चक्षुरुत्तममेव च । नैवेद्यस्य प्रदानेन नरो मृष्टाशनो भवेत्

Transliteration

dīpadaḥ kīrtimāpnoti cakṣuruttamameva ca | naivedyasya pradānena naro mṛṣṭāśano bhavet

Translation

Wer eine Lampe darbringt, erlangt Ruhm und zudem vortreffliches Augenlicht. Durch die Darbringung von Naivedya (Speiseopfer) wird der Mensch zum Genießer feiner, reiner und heilsamer Nahrung.

Word by Word

• dīpa-daḥ: one who gives a lamp
• dīpa-daḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīpa (प्रातिपदिक) + dā (धा॒तु; द-प्रत्ययेन ‘दः’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (dīpaṃ dadāti iti)

• kīrtim: fame
• kīrtim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• āpnoti: obtains
• āpnoti: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āp (धा॒तु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• cakṣuḥ: eye(s), eyesight
• cakṣuḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• uttamam: excellent
• uttamam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (cakṣuḥ इति)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• naivedyasya: of food-offering (naivedya)
• naivedyasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naivedya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• pradānena: by the act of giving
• pradānena: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pra-dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• naraḥ: a man
• naraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• mṛṣṭa-aśanaḥ: one who eats fine food
• mṛṣṭa-aśanaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + aśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (mṛṣṭam aśanam yasya)

• bhavet: would become
• bhavet: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धा॒तु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) speaking to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara Khaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Evening ārati: a devotee offers a bright oil lamp before the deity; the light reflects in the devotee’s eyes (symbolizing improved sight) while naivedya plates are arranged; later, prasāda is distributed, signifying wholesome nourishment and fame spreading like light.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Simple acts in worship—light and food offered with devotion—generate both worldly well-being and spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is specified; the verse teaches general pūjā-dāna fruits within the Skanda Purana’s Śaiva frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dīpa-dāna (offering a lamp) and naivedya-pradāna (offering consecrated food).