Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

अमृतं संपरित्यज्य यदन्नं देवता अपि । स्पृहयंति गृहस्थस्य गृहद्वारगताः सदा

Transliteration

amṛtaṃ saṃparityajya yadannaṃ devatā api | spṛhayaṃti gṛhasthasya gṛhadvāragatāḥ sadā

Translation

Même les dieux, délaissant l’ambroisie, désirent la nourriture du maître de maison, comme s’ils se tenaient sans cesse au seuil de son foyer.

Word by Word

• अमृतम्: nectar/ambrosia
• अमृतम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• सम्: completely
• सम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Verbal prefix)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: अव्यय (Preverb/Upasarga)

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), परस्मैपदी; उपसर्गः: परि-; अर्थः: 'having abandoned'

• यत्: which
• यत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-विशेषण (Relative)

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• देवताः: the deities
• देवताः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Particle)

• स्पृहयन्ति: desire/long for
• स्पृहयन्ति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• गृहस्थस्य: of the householder
• गृहस्थस्य: सम्बन्ध (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• गृहद्वारगताः: having come to the house-door
• गृहद्वारगताः: कर्ता (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गृह + द्वार + गत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; 'गृहद्वारे गत' इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः

• सदा: always
• सदा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb)

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gṛhastha-gṛha as dharma-kṣetra (through anna/atithi-sevā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a humble doorway, a householder offers freshly cooked food; subtle divine figures linger respectfully, suggesting that even gods seek such anna over nectar.

Characters & Entities

• Devatāḥ
• Gṛhastha
• Amṛta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Household dharma sanctifies daily nourishment; food offered and shared becomes a divine medium, revered even above celestial enjoyments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is named; the verse glorifies gṛhastha-dharma and the sacredness of food offered in devotion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly supports anna-related dharma: preparing, offering (naivedya), and sharing food as a meritorious act.