Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

विशेषश्चात्र सन्ध्यायां श्राद्धदाने च भारत । अन्नदानेन राजेन्द्र कीर्तितं फलमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

viśeṣaścātra sandhyāyāṃ śrāddhadāne ca bhārata | annadānena rājendra kīrtitaṃ phalamuttamam

Translation

Ô Bhārata, il est ici une excellence particulière au moment de la sandhyā (prière du crépuscule) et dans les offrandes du śrāddha. Ô meilleur des rois, le fruit suprême du don de nourriture y est proclamé.

Word by Word

• viśeṣaḥ: speciality; special point
• viśeṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• atra: here; in this matter
• atra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• sandhyāyām: at twilight; during sandhyā
• sandhyāyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• śrāddha-dāne: in the giving of śrāddha-offering
• śrāddha-dāne: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (śrāddhasya dānam)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• bhārata: O Bhārata
• bhārata: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• anna-dānena: by food-giving; through donation of food
• anna-dānena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (annasya dānam)

• rājendra: O king of kings
• rājendra: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (rājñām indraḥ)

• kīrtitam: has been declared; proclaimed
• kīrtitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kīrtita (कृदन्त; √kīrt/√kīrti? from √kīrtay ‘to proclaim’)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• phalam: fruit; result
• phalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• uttamam: excellent; supreme
• uttamam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of phalam)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced from immediate continuation in Adhyāya 103)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Manmatheśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata / Pāṇḍava (addressed as Bhārata, rājendra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At twilight near a Śiva shrine, devotees complete sandhyā rites while others distribute cooked food to brāhmaṇas, pilgrims, and the needy; śrāddha offerings are prepared with solemn care.

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata
• Śrāddha
• Sandhyā
• Anna-dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

At certain tīrthas, ordinary dharmic acts—sandhyā worship, śrāddha, and feeding—yield heightened merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Manmatheśvara/Ēraṇḍī sacred area described in Adhyāya 102.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform sandhyā worship, offer śrāddha gifts, and especially practice anna-dāna (feeding/gifting food).