Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

मिष्टान्नं ब्राह्मणेंद्राणां यो ददाति स्वशक्तितः । विशेषात्कार्तिके मासि सोऽग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्

Transliteration

miṣṭānnaṃ brāhmaṇeṃdrāṇāṃ yo dadāti svaśaktitaḥ | viśeṣātkārtike māsi so'gniṣṭomaphalaṃ labhet

Translation

Quiconque, selon ses moyens, offre des mets sucrés aux éminents brāhmanes—surtout au mois de Kārtika—obtient le fruit du sacrifice Agniṣṭoma.

Word by Word

• मिष्टान्नम्: sweet food
• मिष्टान्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिष्ट + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणाम्: of the best of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणाम्: Sampradana-Sambandha (Recipient relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; (ब्राह्मणेन्द्र) ‘श्रेष्ठ-ब्राह्मण’

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

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्वशक्तितः: according to one’s ability
• स्वशक्तितः: Sambandha/Modifier (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्व + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = ‘स्वशक्तेः अनुसारम्/यथाशक्ति’

• विशेषात्: especially
• विशेषात्: Sambandha/Modifier (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial ablative) = ‘विशेषेण’

• कार्तिके: in Kārtika
• कार्तिके: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मासि)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

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

• अग्निष्टोमफलम्: the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma (sacrifice)
• अग्निष्टोमफलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निष्टोम + फल (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya didactic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kārtika-dāna at Nāgara-kṣetra (general)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim offers trays of sweet rice and laddus to seated, dignified Brāhmaṇas under a temple pavilion during Kārtika; lamps and tulasī nearby; autumnal clarity in the air.

Characters & Entities

• Kārtika
• Brāhmaṇa
• Agniṣṭoma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity offered with reverence during Kārtika is elevated to the level of major Vedic sacrifices in spiritual efficacy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse glorifies the sacred time (Kārtika) and the dharma of dāna; it does not specify a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Give sweet food (miṣṭānna) to worthy Brāhmaṇas, in proportion to one’s means, with special emphasis in Kārtika.