Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

शाकमूलफलैर्वापि पंचयज्ञन्न हापयेत् । अम्मूलफलभिक्षाभिरर्चयेद्भिक्षुकातिथीन्

Transliteration

śākamūlaphalairvāpi paṃcayajñanna hāpayet | ammūlaphalabhikṣābhirarcayedbhikṣukātithīn

Translation

ശാകം, മൂലം, ഫലം എന്നിവകൊണ്ട് ജീവിച്ചാലും പഞ്ചമഹായജ്ഞങ്ങളെ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കരുത്; ജലം, മൂലം, ഫലം എന്നിവയുടെ ഭിക്ഷകൊണ്ട് ഭിക്ഷുക്കളെയും അതിഥികളെയും പൂജിച്ച് സത്കരിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• शाकमूलफलैः: with vegetables, roots, and fruits
• शाकमूलफलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाक (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—शाकं च मूलं च फलं च (द्वन्द्व)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे (also/even)

• पञ्चयज्ञम्: the fivefold sacrifice (pañca-yajña)
• पञ्चयज्ञम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—पञ्च यज्ञाः यस्य/पञ्चयज्ञः (द्विगु)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• हापयेत्: should cause to be neglected / should omit
• हापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• अन्नमूलफलभिक्षाभिः: with alms of food, roots, and fruits
• अन्नमूलफलभिक्षाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—अन्नं च मूलं च फलं च भिक्षा च (द्वन्द्व)

• अर्चयेत्: should honor/worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भिक्षुकातिथीन्: mendicants and guests
• भिक्षुकातिथीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षुक (प्रातिपदिक) + अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; समासः—भिक्षुकाः च अतिथयः च (द्वन्द्व)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A hermit in a forest āśrama offers a leaf-cup of water and a plate of fruits/roots to a wandering bhikṣu and an unexpected guest; a small altar/fire indicates ongoing yajña duties.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Pañcamahāyajña
• Atithi
• Bhikṣuka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Renunciation is not negligence: even with minimal living, one must sustain daily duties of worship, offering, and hospitality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named; the instruction belongs to the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s dharma teaching milieu.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Do not abandon the pañcamahāyajñas; offer simple alms (water, roots, fruits) to mendicants and guests.