Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

अस्नाताशी मलं भुंक्ते अजापी पूयशोणितम् । अहुत्वा तु कृमीन्भुंक्ते अदत्त्वा विषभोजनम्

Transliteration

asnātāśī malaṃ bhuṃkte ajāpī pūyaśoṇitam | ahutvā tu kṛmīnbhuṃkte adattvā viṣabhojanam

Translation

സ്നാനം ചെയ്യാതെ ഭക്ഷിക്കുന്നവൻ മലഭക്ഷണം ചെയ്യുന്നവനുപോലെ; ജപം ചെയ്യാത്തവൻ പുഴുവും രക്തവും കുടിക്കുന്നവനുപോലെ; ആഹുതി/നൈവേദ്യം അർപ്പിക്കാതെ ഭക്ഷിക്കുന്നവൻ പുഴുക്കളെ തിന്നുന്നതുപോലെ; ദാനം നൽകാതെ ഭക്ഷിക്കുന്നവൻ വിഷഭോജനം ചെയ്യുന്നവനുപോലെ ആകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अस्नाताशी: one who eats without bathing
• अस्नाताशी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-स्नात (स्ना धातु + क्त, कृदन्त) + आशी (अश् धातु + णिनि/इन्-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'अस्नातः आशी' = one who eats without bathing; विशेषण

• मलम्: filth/impurity
• मलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• भुंक्ते: eats/consumes
• भुंक्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अजापी: one who does not drink (purifying water)
• अजापी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-जा (प्रातिपदिक) + पी (पा धातु + इन्/णिनि, कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'अजां न पीबति/अजापी' = one who does not drink (water) / one who is not drinking (purifying drink); विशेषण (contextual)

• पूयशोणितम्: pus and blood
• पूयशोणितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूय (प्रातिपदिक) + शोणित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: 'पूयं च शोणितं च'

• अहुत्वा: without offering (oblation)
• अहुत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल) / Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा, अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'अ-हुत्वा' = without offering (in fire)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• कृमीन्: worms
• कृमीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• भुंक्ते: eats
• भुंक्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अदत्त्वा: without giving
• अदत्त्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल) / Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा, अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय: 'अ-दत्त्वा' = without giving (donation)

• विषभोजनम्: poison as food / eating poison
• विषभोजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'विषस्य भोजनम्'

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim completes snāna, sits with japamālā, offers a portion of food into fire/at a shrine as naivedya, then gives alms before eating—fourfold sanctification of a meal in the Prabhāsa setting.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Food becomes sanctifying only when joined to purity, remembrance (japa), offering, and generosity—otherwise it spiritually degrades the eater.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where pilgrim-dharma emphasizes śauca and sacred food practices.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathe before eating, perform japa, offer a portion (homa/naivedya), and give dāna—these purify one’s meal.