Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

दीनांधैः कृपणैः सवैर्स्तर्पितैः क्रतुरुच्यते । अन्यथाऽसौ विनाशाय यदुक्तं ब्राह्मणैर्वचः

Transliteration

dīnāṃdhaiḥ kṛpaṇaiḥ savairstarpitaiḥ kraturucyate | anyathā'sau vināśāya yaduktaṃ brāhmaṇairvacaḥ

Translation

ദീനരും അന്ധരും ദരിദ്രരും—എല്ലാവരും തൃപ്തരാകുമ്പോഴാണ് യജ്ഞം ‘സഫലം’ എന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നത്; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ അത് വിനാശത്തിലേക്ക് വഴിമാറും—ഇത് ബ്രാഹ്മണവചനം.

Word by Word

• दीनान्धैः: by the poor and the blind
• दीनान्धैः: Karana (Instrument/Agentive means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (दीनाश्च अन्धाश्च), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• कृपणैः: by the wretched/miserly
• कृपणैः: Karana (Instrument/Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वैः: by all
• सर्वैः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तर्पितैः: satiated/satisfied
• तर्पितैः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• क्रतुः: the sacrifice (rite)
• क्रतुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उच्यते: is said/called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (otherwise)

• असौ: that (one)/it
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम

• विनाशाय: for destruction
• विनाशाय: Sampradana (Purpose/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for destruction)

• यत्: which/that which
• यत्: Anvaya (Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• उक्तम्: said
• उक्तम्: Kriya (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणैः: by the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Kartr/Agent in passive (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वचः: speech/statement
• वचः: Karma (Object/Content)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Jālma (continuing his argument)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/śrotṛ-gaṇa (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic moment: a respected brāhmaṇa or the ascetic speaks while attendants distribute food to the poor and blind near the yajña pavilion; the atmosphere shifts from conflict to compassionate action.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇas
• kratu (yajña)
• the poor and needy

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual becomes spiritually complete only when compassion is enacted—especially through feeding and supporting the vulnerable.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named in this verse; it presents a universal dharma principle within a tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

To ensure yajña-success, one should satisfy the needy (anna-dāna and hospitality) alongside formal rites.