Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

आगता भक्षणार्थं हि नैवेद्यं केन चार्पितम् । मार्जनं रजस्तस्याः पक्षाभ्यामभवत्पुरा

Transliteration

āgatā bhakṣaṇārthaṃ hi naivedyaṃ kena cārpitam | mārjanaṃ rajastasyāḥ pakṣābhyāmabhavatpurā

Translation

അവൾ ആഹാരം തേടി വന്നു; അവിടെ ആരോ നൈവേദ്യം അർപ്പിച്ചിരുന്നു. പണ്ടുകാലത്ത് അവളുടെ ചിറകുകളാൽ അവിടത്തെ പൊടി മാർജിതമായി।

Word by Word

• आगता: (she) came
• आगता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-उपसर्ग + √गम् (धातु) + क्त (past participle)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• भक्षण-अर्थम्: for eating
• भक्षण-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Accusative singular) प्रयोजनार्थे (accusative of purpose); तत्पुरुषसमासः (भक्षणस्य अर्थः)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक-निपातः (for/indeed)

• नैवेद्यम्: offering (food)
• नैवेद्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• केन: by whom
• केन: Karana (Instrument/agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

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

• अर्पितम्: offered
• अर्पितम्: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्प् (धातु) + क्त (past passive participle)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular); कर्मणि (offered)

• मार्जनम्: cleaning/sweeping
• मार्जनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्जन (प्रातिपदिक; from √मृज् (धातु))
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• रजः: dust
• रजः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• पक्षाभ्याम्: with (her) two wings
• पक्षाभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति द्विवचन (Instrumental dual)

• अभवत्: happened/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् लकार (Imperfect/Past); प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śivālaya (narrative setting within Kedāra-māhātmya)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bird approaches a naivedya plate in a Śiva temple; as it flutters, its wings sweep dust from the floor near the liṅga pedestal, turning hunger into inadvertent service.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• naivedya
• pataṅgī (bird)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even unintended or incidental service performed in a sacred space can become meritorious when connected to Śiva’s worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra sacred region (Kedārakhaṇḍa), emphasizing sanctity of Śiva’s temple precincts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Naivedya (offering of food) and mārjana (cleaning) as supportive acts within temple worship.