Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं प्रसादं कुरु मे विभो । अन्नदत्वं च संप्राप्तः कथमेष महामतिः

Transliteration

etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ prasādaṃ kuru me vibho | annadatvaṃ ca saṃprāptaḥ kathameṣa mahāmatiḥ

Translation

ഞാൻ ഇത് കേൾക്കാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു; ഹേ പ്രഭോ, എനിക്കു പ്രസാദം ചെയ്യണമേ. ഈ മഹാമതി അന്നദ—അന്നദാതാവ്—സ്ഥിതി എങ്ങനെ പ്രാപിച്ചു?

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (matter)
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इच्छामि: I wish
• इच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (इष् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (श्रु धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तुमुन्-प्रत्यय, infinitive), अव्ययभाव

• प्रसादम्: grace, favor
• प्रसादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कुरु: do; grant
• कुरु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th) / चतुर्थी (4th) एकवचन; एतस्मिन् प्रसङ्गे चतुर्थी-दत्तिः (to me)

• विभो: O Lord
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• अन्नदत्वम्: the state of being a giver of food
• अन्नदत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्नद + त्व (प्रातिपदिक; तद्धित-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अन्नं ददाति इति अन्नदः) + त्व-प्रत्यय (state of being)

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

• संप्राप्तः: having attained/obtained
• संप्राप्तः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (आप् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि अर्थे (having obtained)

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Sambandha (Question/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रश्नार्थक)

• एषः: this person
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महामतिः: great-minded one
• महामतिः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महान् मतिः यस्य)

Speaker

Agastya (questioning Skanda, implied by context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Skanda (addressed as Vibhu)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The listener petitions the divine narrator for grace and asks how the great one attained ‘Annada-hood’—the power and role of feeding others.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Agastya
• Annada (giver of food)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse elevates annadāna (feeding others) as a hallmark of great-minded dharma and a path to spiritual distinction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the broader sacred setting of the discussion, though this verse specifically requests the story rather than naming a shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Annadāna is indicated as the key dharmic act (the virtue of providing food), though details are not yet given.