Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 156

Devanagari script

अन्तर्जानुश्च तच्चित्तो भुञ्जीतान्नमकुत्सयन् । नोपघातं विना दोषान्न तस्योदाहरेद्बुधः

Transliteration

antarjānuśca taccitto bhuñjītānnamakutsayan | nopaghātaṃ vinā doṣānna tasyodāharedbudhaḥ

Translation

膝を内に寄せ、心を一つにして、食をけなさずに食すべきである。真の害がない限り、賢者はその欠点を口にしてはならない。

Word by Word

• अन्तर्जानुः: with knees drawn in (sitting with knees inward)
• अन्तर्जानुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर् + जानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (अन्तः-जानु = ‘जङ्घयोर्मध्ये जानु यस्य/जानु-पर्यन्तम्’), विशेषण-प्रयोगः

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

• तत्-चित्तः: with mind fixed on that
• तत्-चित्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (तत् एव चित्तं यस्य)

• भुञ्जीत: should eat
• भुञ्जीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• अकुत्सयन्: not disparaging (without contempt)
• अकुत्सयन्: Karta (Agent-participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कुत्सय् (धातु) + अ (नञ्-प्रत्यय/निषेध)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘निन्दां न कुर्वन्’ (negated by अ-)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• उपघातम्: harm, injury
• उपघातम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपघात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपपद-अव्यय (preposition/adverb) ‘without’; सामान्यतः तृतीया/द्वितीया-संबन्धः

• दोषान्: faults
• दोषान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• तस्य: of him/that (person)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• उदाहरेत्: should mention/bring up
• उदाहरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बुधः: a wise person
• बुधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A seated vratin with knees drawn in, calm gaze lowered to a leaf-plate of food; attendants offer simple fare; the atmosphere is quiet, emphasizing gratitude and non-judgment.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cultivate gratitude and restraint: eat with composure and do not fault-find, except to prevent genuine harm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named; the verse teaches general dharmic etiquette for a Śaiva practitioner.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Maintain a disciplined seated posture and focused mind while eating; avoid criticizing food unless it is harmful.