Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

अन्नदानं तु यः कुर्य्याद्द्वारकायां तु तत्फलम् । नैव शक्नोम्यहं वक्तुं ब्रह्मा शेषमहेश्वरौ

Transliteration

annadānaṃ tu yaḥ kuryyāddvārakāyāṃ tu tatphalam | naiva śaknomyahaṃ vaktuṃ brahmā śeṣamaheśvarau

Translation

But whoever performs the gift of food in Dvārakā—its fruit I cannot possibly describe; nor can Brahmā, Śeṣa, or Maheśvara fully express it.

Word by Word

• अन्नदानम्: gift of food
• अन्नदानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न-दान (प्रातिपदिक; अन्न + दान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अन्नस्य दानम्)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); विरोध/अन्वयार्थक

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यः (relative pronoun)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्वारकायाम्: in Dvārakā
• द्वारकायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); पुनरुक्त-बलार्थक

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• शक्नोमि: I am able
• शक्नोमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• वक्तुम्: to speak
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-रूप (infinitive)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेष-नाम

• शेष: Śeṣa
• शेष: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेष-नाम

• महेश्वरौ: the two great lords (Mahādeva and another)
• महेश्वरौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; विशेष-नाम (द्वौ)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (authoritative narrator voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas / assembly of inquirers

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand anna-sattra in Dvārakā: long lines of pilgrims being served steaming rice and lentils; above, subtle divine silhouettes of Brahmā, Śeṣa, and Maheśvara gesture in awe at the immeasurable merit.

Characters & Entities

• Dvārakā
• Brahmā
• Śeṣa
• Maheśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Feeding others in a sacred place is a supreme dharma whose merit surpasses ordinary measure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, acclaimed as exceptionally merit-giving for acts of charity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Annadāna—donating food to others while in Dvārakā.