Shloka 29

Devanagari script

यः स्वयं मिष्टमश्नाति विप्रेभ्यो न प्रयच्छति । वृथापाकस्स विज्ञेयो ब्रह्मवादिषु गर्हितः

Transliteration

yaḥ svayaṃ miṣṭamaśnāti viprebhyo na prayacchati | vṛthāpākassa vijñeyo brahmavādiṣu garhitaḥ

Translation

He who eats sweet food himself yet does not offer it to the Brāhmaṇas should be known as one who cooks in vain; among the expounders of the Veda he is censured.

Word by Word

• yaḥ: he who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), indeclinable

• miṣṭam: sweet food/delicacy
• miṣṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: miṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन)

• aśnāti: eats
• aśnāti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: aś (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• viprebhyaḥ: to the brāhmaṇas
• viprebhyaḥ: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी) Plural (बहुवचन)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात), indeclinable

• prayacchati: gives
• prayacchati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + yam (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• vṛthā-pākaḥ: one whose cooking is in vain
• vṛthā-pākaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛthā (अव्यय) + pāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव: vṛthā pākaḥ), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• vijñeyaḥ: is to be known (as)
• vijñeyaḥ: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (प्रधानविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + jñā (धातु) → vijñeya (कृदन्त)
• Form: Gerundive/necessitative (तव्यत्/य), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• brahmavādiṣu: among the expounders of Brahman
• brahmavādiṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmavādin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी) Plural (बहुवचन)

• garhitaḥ: censured
• garhitaḥ: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (प्रधानविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: garh (धातु) → garhita (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/PPP), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames dāna/atithi-satkāra as a prerequisite for dharmic merit; generosity purifies the paśu and makes one fit for Śiva’s anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Brahmanas

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that enjoyment without offering (naivedya/dāna) is spiritually barren; sharing food as an act of dharma purifies intention and supports Shaiva worship through selfless giving.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

In Saguna Shiva worship, offerings are meant to be completed by distribution—naivedya becomes prasad and is shared; feeding the worthy (especially Brāhmaṇas) is treated as an extension of honoring Shiva’s presence in beings.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform naivedya with a portion reserved for dāna/annadāna; after worship (with mantra such as Om Namaḥ Śivāya), distribute prasad and feed the deserving as a practical vow of restraint and generosity.