Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 141

Devanagari script

एकाहारा निराहारा वायुभक्षास्तथापरे । अब्भक्षाः फल भक्षाश्च शीर्णपर्णाशिनस्तथा

Transliteration

ekāhārā nirāhārā vāyubhakṣāstathāpare | abbhakṣāḥ phala bhakṣāśca śīrṇaparṇāśinastathā

Translation

Les uns ne prenaient qu’un seul repas par jour, d’autres aucun; certains se nourrissaient d’air, d’autres d’eau; certains de fruits, et d’autres ne mangeaient que des feuilles flétries.

Word by Word

• ekāhārāḥ: having one meal (once-eaters)
• ekāhārāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka-āhāra (प्रातिपदिक: eka + āhāra)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• nirāhārāḥ: without food (fasting)
• nirāhārāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-āhāra (प्रातिपदिक: nir + āhāra)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• vāyubhakṣāḥ: air-eaters (living on air)
• vāyubhakṣāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāyu-bhakṣa (प्रातिपदिक: vāyu + bhakṣa)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति/समुच्चय-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• apare: others
• apare: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-प्रयोग

• abbhakṣāḥ: water-eaters (living on water)
• abbhakṣāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ap-bhakṣa (प्रातिपदिक: ap/ambhas + bhakṣa)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• phala: fruit
• phala: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; समास/कर्मधारय-पूर्वपद-भावेन (as object-specifier)

• bhakṣāḥ: eaters
• bhakṣāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (eaters)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• śīrṇaparṇāśinaḥ: eating fallen/dry leaves
• śīrṇaparṇāśinaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śīrṇa-parṇa-āśin (प्रातिपदिक: śīrṇa + parṇa + āśin)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति/समुच्चय-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

Speaker

An unnamed man (describing ascetic disciplines present at the tīrtha)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ascetics seated in small groups under trees or in a temple courtyard, each practicing a distinct austerity: one-meal, fasting, water-only, fruit-only, leaf-only; calm faces, ash marks, rudrākṣa, begging bowls set aside.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Restraint and tapas (austerity) are honored as supports for devotion and spiritual power at sacred places.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse glorifies the pilgrimage atmosphere by showing intense tapas practiced there; the site name is given in the larger context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Forms of fasting and regulated diet (ekāhāra, nirāhāra, phalāhāra, etc.) are described as ascetic observances.