Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अक्षारभोजनं कार्यं विशेषात्तैलवर्जितम् । समाप्तौ च ततो दद्याद्ब्राह्मणेंद्राय भक्तितः

Transliteration

akṣārabhojanaṃ kāryaṃ viśeṣāttailavarjitam | samāptau ca tato dadyādbrāhmaṇeṃdrāya bhaktitaḥ

Translation

Qu’on prenne un repas simple (akṣāra-bhojana), en évitant tout particulièrement l’huile. Puis, à l’achèvement, qu’on fasse un don avec dévotion à un brāhmane éminent.

Word by Word

• अक्षारभोजनम्: alkaline/salted food (meal)
• अक्षारभोजनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षार + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्म/विधेय (thing to be done)

• कार्यम्: to be done, should be performed
• कार्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/क्रियाविधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय) → कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligative); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (to be done)

• विशेषात्: especially
• विशेषात्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb); अर्थः 'विशेषेण' (especially)

• तैलवर्जितम्: devoid of oil
• तैलवर्जितम्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तैल + वर्जित (प्रातिपदिक; √वर्ज् क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle used adjectivally); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (अक्षारभोजनम्)

• समाप्तौ: at the completion
• समाप्तौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समाप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रकृत्यर्थे (from that/then)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणेन्द्राय: to the best of brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणेन्द्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; हेत्वर्थे (out of devotion)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vrata-observer takes a simple meal without oil, then concludes the observance by offering a respectful gift to a distinguished brāhmaṇa.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity in diet and generosity in conclusion together complete a vow in a balanced dhārmic way.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it gives vrata-niyamas and completion-dāna.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observe a regulated diet avoiding oil, and at the end make a devotional gift to a worthy brāhmaṇa.