Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः । अन्नेषु च विचित्रेषु लेह्येषु विविधेषु च । अमृतेष्वेषु सर्वेषु तथा पेयेषु पार्थिव

Transliteration

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ | anneṣu ca vicitreṣu lehyeṣu vividheṣu ca | amṛteṣveṣu sarveṣu tathā peyeṣu pārthiva

Translation

ബ്രാഹ്മണർ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ പാർത്ഥിവാ! നാനാവിധ അന്നങ്ങളിൽ, വിവിധ ലേഹ്യപദാർത്ഥങ്ങളിൽ, ഈ എല്ലാം അമൃതസമാന വിഭവങ്ങളിൽ, അതുപോലെ പാനീയങ്ങളിലും…

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणाः: the brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम

• अन्नेषु: in/among foods
• अन्नेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• विचित्रेषु: various; diverse
• विचित्रेषु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (अन्नेषु)

• लेह्येषु: among lickable foods
• लेह्येषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेह्य (प्रातिपदिक; √लिह् से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; ‘lickables/sweets’

• विविधेषु: of many kinds
• विविधेषु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (लेह्येषु)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अमृतेषु: among nectars/sweet drinks
• अमृतेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• एषु: in these
• एषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; ‘in these’

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (एषु)

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारार्थक (adverb)

• पेयेषु: among drinks
• पेयेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पेय (प्रातिपदिक; √पा से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; ‘drinkables’

• पार्थिव: O king
• पार्थिव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (pārthiva/narādhipa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king sits in a pavilion near a sacred locale; brāhmaṇas, seated in orderly rows, gesture toward covered dishes and drink vessels as they begin a formal inquiry about the offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• King (Pārthiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse introduces a comparative inquiry about offerings—suggesting a forthcoming teaching on what is ‘best’ or most meritorious in dharmic giving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; it remains within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It gestures toward anna-related offerings (food/drink), but the specific prescription is not yet stated in this line.