Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

विसाधितव्यान्यन्नानि स्वशक्त्या देवपितृषु । मनुष्य द्विजभूतेषु नियुज्याश्नीत सर्वदा

Transliteration

visādhitavyānyannāni svaśaktyā devapitṛṣu | manuṣya dvijabhūteṣu niyujyāśnīta sarvadā

Translation

Speise soll nach eigener Kraft bereitet und den Göttern sowie den Ahnen gebührend dargebracht werden. Danach ist sie unter Menschen, zweifach Geborenen als Gästen und allen Lebewesen zu verteilen; erst dann soll man stets essen.

Word by Word

• विसाधितव्यानि: to be prepared/cooked
• विसाधितव्यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + साध् (धातु) + तव्य (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त; तव्यत्/तव्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle: ‘to be prepared’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचन; अन्नानि इति विशेषणम्

• अन्नानि: foods, meals
• अन्नानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.); बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्वशक्त्या: by one’s own ability
• स्वशक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + शक्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd); एकवचन (Singular)

• देवपितृषु: among/for the gods and ancestors
• देवपितृषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवपितृ (प्रातिपदिक; देव + पितृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); बहुवचन (Plural); देवेषु पितृषु च इत्यर्थः

• मनुष्य: O man/person
• मनुष्य: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative/Nominative form used as address); एकवचन (Singular)

• द्विजभूतेषु: among brahmins and living beings
• द्विजभूतेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजभूत (प्रातिपदिक; द्विज + भूत)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); बहुवचन (Plural)

• नियुज्य: having assigned/apportioned
• नियुज्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + युज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having assigned/engaged’

• अश्नीत: should eat
• अश्नीत: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd); एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative mode)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A household kitchen and courtyard: food being cooked, then offered at a small shrine (devas), a pitṛ-tarpaṇa vessel nearby, guests (dvijas/atithis) seated for bhojana, and animals/birds receiving portions; the householder eats last.

Characters & Entities

• Deva
• Pitṛ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Eating becomes sacred when preceded by offering, sharing, and compassion; food is to be a vehicle of dharma, not mere consumption.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is referenced; the verse teaches universal anna-dharma (food ethics) in Purāṇic tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer food to Devas and Pitṛs and then serve humans/guests and other beings; only afterward should one eat.