Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

ततो जनकमुद्दिश्य मिष्टान्नेन सुभक्तितः । सहस्रं ब्राह्मणेंद्राणां भोजयामास नित्यशः

Transliteration

tato janakamuddiśya miṣṭānnena subhaktitaḥ | sahasraṃ brāhmaṇeṃdrāṇāṃ bhojayāmāsa nityaśaḥ

Translation

त्यानंतर पित्याच्या उद्देशाने, उत्तम भक्तीने, तो नित्य मिष्टान्नाने हजारो श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणांना भोजन घालीत असे.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (thereafter)

• जनकम्: (his) father
• जनकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उद्दिश्य: dedicating (to)
• उद्दिश्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + √दिश् (दिश् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘having intended/dedicated (to)’

• मिष्टान्नेन: with sweet food
• मिष्टान्नेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (sweet food)

• सुभक्तितः: out of sincere devotion
• सुभक्तितः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb); ‘out of good devotion’

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (as object-number)

• ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणाम्: of the foremost brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (chief among brahmins)

• भोजयामास: fed (caused to eat)
• भोजयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (भुज् धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative)

• नित्यशः: daily
• नित्यशः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आवृत्तिवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always/daily)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānarta (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand daily feeding: rows of brāhmaṇas seated in orderly lines, served exquisite dishes; King Satyasena stands with folded hands, dedicating the act to his father.

Characters & Entities

• Satyasena
• Satyasena’s father
• brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional charity offered for one’s ancestors becomes a powerful dharmic response, converting personal sorrow into merit (puṇya).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse emphasizes the Māhātmya ethic of dāna as a sacred act often linked with tīrtha-merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pitṛ-uddiśya brāhmaṇa-bhojana: feeding brāhmaṇas (here, a thousand) with good food, performed regularly.