Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

संति शाकानि राजेन्द्र पावनीयानि सर्वशः । सुष्ठु स्वादु कराण्यत्र व्यञ्जनार्थं महीपते

Transliteration

saṃti śākāni rājendra pāvanīyāni sarvaśaḥ | suṣṭhu svādu karāṇyatra vyañjanārthaṃ mahīpate

Translation

王の中の最勝よ、ここにはあらゆる意味で清めとなる野菜がございます。味わいも良く、料理の具として香味を添えるにふさわしいものです、大地の主よ。

Word by Word

• सन्ति: are/exist
• सन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural); परस्मैपद

• शाकानि: vegetables/greens
• शाकानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (plural)

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (singular)

• पावनीयानि: purifying
• पावनीयानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावनीय (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण from √पू)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण (adjective) to शाकानि

• सर्वशः: in every way; altogether
• सर्वशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सुष्ठु: well; very
• सुष्ठु: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सुष्ठु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• स्वादु: tasty
• स्वादु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वादु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (plural) (ending elided before next word); विशेषण to कराणि

• कराणि: makers/causers (i.e., things that make)
• कराणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (plural)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• व्यञ्जनार्थम्: for the purpose of seasoning/condiment
• व्यञ्जनार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यञ्जन + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular); प्रयोजन (purpose)

• महीपते: O lord of the earth (king)
• महीपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas addressing the king

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (rājendra/māhīpati)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Attendants bring baskets of fresh greens and vegetables; brāhmaṇas indicate these as proper, while cooks stand ready with mortars and spice boxes for mild seasoning.

Characters & Entities

• Rājendra (king)
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity and suitability of offerings matter; simple, purifying foods can be superior for sacred rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is embedded in Tīrthamāhātmya, but this line itself highlights śrāddha food suitability rather than a named site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It recommends purifying vegetables/greens as appropriate items to prepare dishes for ritual feeding.