Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

मंडका वटकाः पूपास्तथा वै वेष्टिकाः शुभाः । सहस्रमोदकाश्चापि फेणिका घुर्घुरादयः

Transliteration

maṃḍakā vaṭakāḥ pūpāstathā vai veṣṭikāḥ śubhāḥ | sahasramodakāścāpi pheṇikā ghurghurādayaḥ

Translation

मंडक, वटक, पूप तसेच शुभ वेष्टिका होत्या; आणि हजारो मोदकही, फेणिका, घुर्घुरा इत्यादी मिष्टान्नांसह।

Word by Word

• maṃḍakāḥ: maṇḍaka cakes
• maṃḍakāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃḍaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural)

• vaṭakāḥ: fried balls/fritters
• vaṭakāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaṭaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural)

• pūpāḥ: cakes
• pūpāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘likewise’)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• veṣṭikāḥ: wrapped sweets (veṣṭikā)
• veṣṭikāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veṣṭikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Feminine, Nominative plural)

• śubhāḥ: auspicious/fine
• śubhāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Feminine, Nominative plural; adjective)

• sahasra: thousand
• sahasra: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्; समासपूर्वपद (numeral ‘thousand’)

• modakāḥ: modaka sweets
• modakāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: modaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = ‘also’ (particle)

• pheṇikāḥ: pheṇikā sweets
• pheṇikāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pheṇikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Feminine, Nominative plural)

• ghurghura: ghurghura (snack)
• ghurghura: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghurghura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; ‘ghurghura’ (a sweet/snack) समासाङ्ग

• ādayaḥ: and so on
• ādayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘and others’ (Masculine, Nominative plural)

Speaker

Narrator (exact speaker not explicit in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A festive spread displayed on large platters: modakas piled high, pheṇikās and other sweets arranged in patterns; servers carry baskets; recipients smile; lamps and garlands suggest celebration.

Characters & Entities

• Modaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Generosity is celebrated through abundance—offering many kinds of food becomes a form of worship and merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dharmāraṇya context underlies the narrative; the verse emphasizes the splendor of charitable feeding rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Preparing and distributing a wide variety of auspicious food items (sweets and cakes) as part of dharmic giving.