Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

भोजनाभ्यञ्जनाद्दानाद्यदन्यत्कुरुते तिलैः । कृमिभूतः स विष्ठायां पितृभिः सह मज्जति

Transliteration

bhojanābhyañjanāddānādyadanyatkurute tilaiḥ | kṛmibhūtaḥ sa viṣṭhāyāṃ pitṛbhiḥ saha majjati

Translation

Whoever uses sesame seeds for purposes other than eating, anointing, or gifting as charity—he becomes a worm and sinks into filth along with his ancestors.

Word by Word

• भोजनाभ्यञ्जनात्: from eating and anointing
• भोजनाभ्यञ्जनात्: Apadana (Ablative/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन + अभ्यञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (भोजनं च अभ्यञ्जनं च)

• दानात्: from giving (as gift)
• दानात्: Apadana (Ablative/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• अन्यत्: other
• अन्यत्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; यत्-विशेषण

• कुरुते: does; performs
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तिलैः: with sesame seeds
• तिलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• कृमिभूतः: having become a worm
• कृमिभूतः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृमि + भूत (कृदन्त; भू-धातु (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कृमिः भूतो = having become a worm)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विष्ठायाम्: in feces
• विष्ठायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पितृभिः: with the ancestors
• पितृभिः: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सहार्थक-उपसर्ग/निपात (preposition-like: with)

• मज्जति: sinks; is immersed
• मज्जति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking in the Prabhāsa-kṣetra narrative context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cautionary vision: a person misusing sesame is shown falling into a foul pit, transformed into a worm; shadowy pitṛ figures sink alongside—didactic, otherworldly imagery contrasted with a proper sesame-dāna scene in the margin.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred substances used in ancestral and charitable contexts must not be diverted to improper ends; misuse brings severe karmic downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where dharma for offerings and pitṛ-related conduct is emphasized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sesame (tilā) is sanctioned here for eating, anointing, and dāna; other uses are condemned.