Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

वारिदस्तृप्तिमायाति सुखमक्षय्यमन्नदः । वार्यन्नयोः समं दानं न भूतं न भविष्यति

Transliteration

vāridastṛptimāyāti sukhamakṣayyamannadaḥ | vāryannayoḥ samaṃ dānaṃ na bhūtaṃ na bhaviṣyati

Translation

Le donateur d’eau parvient au contentement ; le donateur de nourriture obtient une joie impérissable. Nul don n’a jamais été, ni ne sera jamais, égal au don de l’eau et de la nourriture.

Word by Word

• वारिदः: the giver of water
• वारिदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि-द (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वारि ददाति इति)

• तृप्तिम्: satisfaction
• तृप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आयाति: attains; reaches
• आयाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अक्षय्यम्: imperishable
• अक्षय्यम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-क्षय्य (प्रातिपदिक; उपसर्ग-निषेध)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सुखम्)

• अन्नदः: the giver of food
• अन्नदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न-द (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अन्नं ददाति इति)

• वार्यन्नयोः: of water and food
• वार्यन्नयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि-अन्न (प्रातिपदिक; द्वन्द्व-समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः (वारि च अन्नं च)

• समम्: equal
• समम्: Predicate qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र ‘दानम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• दानम्: gift; charity
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध/negation particle)

• भूतम्: has been (in the past)
• भूतम्: Kriya (Implied predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अस्ति’ इत्यर्थे

• न: nor
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध/negation particle)

• भविष्यति: will be (in the future)
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

A Purāṇic narrator addressing Devarṣi Nārada (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two parallel acts: one donor offers cool water to a thirsty traveler who visibly relaxes (tṛpti); another offers a full meal to a hungry pilgrim whose face brightens—above them, a symbolic ‘akṣaya’ vessel radiates light.

Characters & Entities

• Dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Among charities, giving food and water is portrayed as supremely beneficial—bringing deep satisfaction and imperishable joy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named; the teaching functions as a general tīrtha-style eulogy of life-sustaining charity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer water and food as dāna, emphasizing their unmatched spiritual merit.