Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणान्यतिनो वापि तथैव शिवयोगिनः । भोजयेद्योत्र वै काश्यामेकैक गणना क्रमात्

Transliteration

brāhmaṇānyatino vāpi tathaiva śivayoginaḥ | bhojayedyotra vai kāśyāmekaika gaṇanā kramāt

Translation

Quiconque, à Kāśī, nourrit des brāhmaṇa, des renonçants et des yogin de Śiva—les comptant et les honorant un à un selon l’ordre prescrit—acquiert un grand mérite.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• यतीन्: ascetics
• यतीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: thus/so)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• शिव-योगिनः: Śiva-yogins (yogins devoted to Śiva)
• शिव-योगिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु) [णिच् causative: भोजय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (should feed)

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

• उत्र: here
• उत्र: Desha (Locative adverbial/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (deictic adverb: here/there); पाठानुसार 'उत्र' = 'अत्र/उत्र' (here)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• एक-एकम्: one by one
• एक-एकम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; वितरणार्थक (one by one)

• गणना: counting/numbering
• गणना: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; साधन/प्रकारवाचक (as per counting)

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (adverbial: in order/serially)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (with Viśveśvara as center)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kāśī courtyard near ghats: rows of seated brāhmaṇas, saffron-clad yatis, and ash-smeared Śiva-yogins. The donor serves each respectfully, counting and honoring them in order; vessels of rice, ghee, and sweets are offered with water for ācamana.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Yatis (renunciants)
• Śiva-yogins

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kāśī, honoring holy persons through food-giving is a direct form of devotion and dharma that multiplies merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), as the supreme field for dāna and seva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bhojana/annadāna to brāhmaṇas, yatis, and Śiva-yogins—done respectfully, one by one, in proper order.