Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 155

Devanagari script

पितॄणां च ततः शेषं भोक्तुं माहेश्वरोऽर्हति । वाग्यतः शुचिराचांतः प्राङ्मुखोदङ्मुखोऽपि वा

Transliteration

pitṝṇāṃ ca tataḥ śeṣaṃ bhoktuṃ māheśvaro'rhati | vāgyataḥ śucirācāṃtaḥ prāṅmukhodaṅmukho'pi vā

Translation

Then the remainder (after the offerings) is fit to be eaten by a devotee of Maheśvara. Restrained in speech, purified, and having performed ācamana (ritual sipping of water), he should eat facing east—or, alternatively, facing north.

Word by Word

• pitṝṇām: of the ancestors (pitṛs)
• pitṝṇām: Sambandha (Relation/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन (masc. gen. pl.)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (and)

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: thereafter/from that)

• śeṣam: the remainder
• śeṣam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• bhoktum: to eat
• bhoktum: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhuj (भुज् धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive): to eat

• māheśvaraḥ: a devotee of Maheśvara / Śaiva
• māheśvaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• arhati: is entitled/should
• arhati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (अर्ह् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd sg. pres. P.)

• vāk-yataḥ: restrained in speech
• vāk-yataḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāk (प्रातिपदिक) + yata (प्रातिपदिक; यम् धातु से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (restrained in speech)

• śuciḥ: pure
• śuciḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• ācāntaḥ: having performed ācamana
• ācāntaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-cam (आ+चम् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (having sipped/ācamana done)

• prāṅ-mukhaḥ: facing east
• prāṅ-mukhaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāṅ (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (whose face is to the east)

• udaṅ-mukhaḥ: facing north
• udaṅ-mukhaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udaṅ (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (whose face is to the north)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-निपात (or)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śiva-bhakta, after pitṛ-offerings, sits purified, performs ācamana, and eats prasāda facing east; a small Śiva-liṅga shrine and pitṛ-tarpaṇa vessels appear nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Maheśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Food becomes sanctified through prior offerings; a Śaiva devotee eats with restraint, cleanliness, and mindful orientation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is specified; the discipline is presented as general Māheśvara practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

After pitṛ-related offerings, eat the remainder only after ācamana, maintaining speech-restraint, facing east or north.