Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

अदत्त्वा भुंजते योऽन्नं बंधुभ्योऽन्नं तथोदकम् । सपिण्डान्सोदकांश्चैव तत्कालात्तान्नरान्भज

Transliteration

adattvā bhuṃjate yo'nnaṃ baṃdhubhyo'nnaṃ tathodakam | sapiṇḍānsodakāṃścaiva tatkālāttānnarānbhaja

Translation

Quiconque mange sans d'abord offrir (une part), et ne fournit ni nourriture ni eau aux parents — surtout à ceux qui partagent le même piṇḍa et l'offrande d'eau — dès cet instant, attache-toi à de tels hommes.

Word by Word

• अदत्त्वा: without giving
• अदत्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दा (धातु) + नञ्-पूर्वक क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); नञ्-निषेधपूर्वकः; अर्थः—‘न दत्त्वा’ (without giving)

• भुञ्जते: they eat/enjoy
• भुञ्जते: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन

• बन्धुभ्यः: to (his) relatives
• बन्धुभ्यः: Sampradāna (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th); बहुवचन

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Avyaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: ‘also/likewise’)

• उदकम्: water
• उदकम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन

• सपिण्डान्: sapindas (kinsmen sharing funeral oblations)
• सपिण्डान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सपिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); बहुवचन

• स-उदकान्: sodakas (kinsmen connected by water-libations)
• स-उदकान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सह-सम्बन्धः); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); बहुवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Avyaya (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• तत्-कालात्: from that time
• तत्-कालात्: Apādāna (Source/From)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध); पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th); एकवचन

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• नरान्: men
• नरान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); बहुवचन

• भज: associate with / resort to
• भज: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; imperative continues—addressing a bhūta/negative force while defining adharma targets)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A man eats alone while hungry relatives and a traveler stand outside; a dark force clings to him as he refuses water and food; in contrast, a nearby pilgrim kitchen glows with charity.

Characters & Entities

• Bandhu (relatives)
• Sapiṇḍa
• Sodaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sharing food and water—especially with kin—is a core household duty; selfish enjoyment is condemned as adharma with harmful consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra; its māhātmya teaches that sacred living includes social and ancestral obligations, not only pilgrimage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Giving a portion before eating and providing anna and udaka to bandhus, including sapiṇḍa/sodaka relations—an ethic aligned with dāna and pitṛ-duty.