Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

यामद्वयेऽपि संप्राप्ते दिनस्य गृहमागतः । मितमन्नं तत स्तस्या भोजनार्थं प्रयच्छति

Transliteration

yāmadvaye'pi saṃprāpte dinasya gṛhamāgataḥ | mitamannaṃ tata stasyā bhojanārthaṃ prayacchati

Translation

Même lorsque deux veilles du jour furent passées, il rentra à la maison et ne lui donna pour manger qu’une portion mesurée de nourriture.

Word by Word

• yāma-dvaye: at the second watch (after two yāmas)
• yāma-dvaye: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yāma (प्रातिपदिक) + dvi (द्वि, संख्याशब्द)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (द्वौ यामौ)

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

• saṃprāpte: when (it) had arrived
• saṃprāpte: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + prāp (प्राप् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute: 'when ... had arrived')

• dinasya: of the day
• dinasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• gṛham: to the house
• gṛham: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• āgataḥ: (he) came/returned
• āgataḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + gam (गम् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोग (past participle used adjectivally: 'having come')

• mitam: measured, small
• mitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mita (प्रातिपदिक; from mā 'measure' + kta)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying annaṃ)

• annam: food
• annam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'then/from there')

• tasyāḥ: to her
• tasyāḥ: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

• bhojana-artham: for eating
• bhojana-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhojana (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (बोजनस्य अर्थः)

• prayacchati: gives, offers
• prayacchati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + yam (यम् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; traditionally Sūta narrating to sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Midday has passed; the husband returns late and places a small measured portion of food before his wife—insufficient and controlled; the wife sits quietly, hunger visible in her posture.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma in family life requires timely care and nourishment of dependents; neglect and stinginess become causes of suffering and sin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it continues a cautionary tale within the pilgrimage-mahātmya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative depiction of improper conduct.