Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

अमृतं संपरित्यज्य यदन्नं देवता अपि । स्पृहयंति गृहस्थस्य गृहद्वारगताः सदा

Transliteration

amṛtaṃ saṃparityajya yadannaṃ devatā api | spṛhayaṃti gṛhasthasya gṛhadvāragatāḥ sadā

Translation

അമൃതം പോലും വിട്ടുവെച്ച് ദേവതകളും ഗൃഹസ്ഥന്റെ ആ അന്നത്തെ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു; അവർ എപ്പോഴും അവന്റെ ഗൃഹദ്വാരത്തിൽ നിൽക്കുന്നവരെപ്പോലെ.

Word by Word

• अमृतम्: nectar/ambrosia
• अमृतम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• सम्: completely
• सम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Verbal prefix)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: अव्यय (Preverb/Upasarga)

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), परस्मैपदी; उपसर्गः: परि-; अर्थः: 'having abandoned'

• यत्: which
• यत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-विशेषण (Relative)

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• देवताः: the deities
• देवताः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Particle)

• स्पृहयन्ति: desire/long for
• स्पृहयन्ति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• गृहस्थस्य: of the householder
• गृहस्थस्य: सम्बन्ध (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• गृहद्वारगताः: having come to the house-door
• गृहद्वारगताः: कर्ता (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गृह + द्वार + गत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; 'गृहद्वारे गत' इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः

• सदा: always
• सदा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb)

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gṛhastha-gṛha as dharma-kṣetra (through anna/atithi-sevā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a humble doorway, a householder offers freshly cooked food; subtle divine figures linger respectfully, suggesting that even gods seek such anna over nectar.

Characters & Entities

• Devatāḥ
• Gṛhastha
• Amṛta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Household dharma sanctifies daily nourishment; food offered and shared becomes a divine medium, revered even above celestial enjoyments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is named; the verse glorifies gṛhastha-dharma and the sacredness of food offered in devotion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly supports anna-related dharma: preparing, offering (naivedya), and sharing food as a meritorious act.