Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

विसाधितव्यान्यन्नानि स्वशक्त्या देवपितृषु । मनुष्य द्विजभूतेषु नियुज्याश्नीत सर्वदा

Transliteration

visādhitavyānyannāni svaśaktyā devapitṛṣu | manuṣya dvijabhūteṣu niyujyāśnīta sarvadā

Translation

സ്വശക്തിയനുസരിച്ച് അന്നം പാകം ചെയ്യണം; ദേവന്മാർക്കും പിതൃകൾക്കും വിധിപൂർവ്വം നിവേദ്യം ചെയ്ത്, പിന്നെ മനുഷ്യർ, ദ്വിജാതി അതിഥികൾ, എല്ലാ ജീവികൾ എന്നിവർക്കും പങ്കുവെച്ച്—അതിനുശേഷം മാത്രമേ എപ്പോഴും ഭക്ഷിക്കാവൂ।

Word by Word

• विसाधितव्यानि: to be prepared/cooked
• विसाधितव्यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + साध् (धातु) + तव्य (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त; तव्यत्/तव्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle: ‘to be prepared’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचन; अन्नानि इति विशेषणम्

• अन्नानि: foods, meals
• अन्नानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.); बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्वशक्त्या: by one’s own ability
• स्वशक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + शक्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd); एकवचन (Singular)

• देवपितृषु: among/for the gods and ancestors
• देवपितृषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवपितृ (प्रातिपदिक; देव + पितृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); बहुवचन (Plural); देवेषु पितृषु च इत्यर्थः

• मनुष्य: O man/person
• मनुष्य: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative/Nominative form used as address); एकवचन (Singular)

• द्विजभूतेषु: among brahmins and living beings
• द्विजभूतेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजभूत (प्रातिपदिक; द्विज + भूत)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); बहुवचन (Plural)

• नियुज्य: having assigned/apportioned
• नियुज्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + युज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having assigned/engaged’

• अश्नीत: should eat
• अश्नीत: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd); एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative mode)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A household kitchen and courtyard: food being cooked, then offered at a small shrine (devas), a pitṛ-tarpaṇa vessel nearby, guests (dvijas/atithis) seated for bhojana, and animals/birds receiving portions; the householder eats last.

Characters & Entities

• Deva
• Pitṛ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Eating becomes sacred when preceded by offering, sharing, and compassion; food is to be a vehicle of dharma, not mere consumption.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is referenced; the verse teaches universal anna-dharma (food ethics) in Purāṇic tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer food to Devas and Pitṛs and then serve humans/guests and other beings; only afterward should one eat.