Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

अन्नपानप्रदानैस्तु पूज्या हि सततं द्विजाः । सर्वेषां चैव दानानां विप्राः सर्वेऽधिकारिणः

Transliteration

annapānapradānaistu pūjyā hi satataṃ dvijāḥ | sarveṣāṃ caiva dānānāṃ viprāḥ sarve'dhikāriṇaḥ

Translation

अन्न-पान दान करून द्विजांचे सतत पूजन करावे. सर्व दानांमध्ये विप्रच सर्वांचे अधिकारी (पात्र) आहेत.

Word by Word

• अन्नपानप्रदानैः: by gifts of food and drink
• अन्नपानप्रदानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + पान (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—अन्नस्य पानस्य च प्रदानम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष), तस्य तृतीया बहुवचनम्; English: neuter, instrumental plural; compound: 'giving of food and drink'

• तु: indeed/and (emphasis)
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/contrastive particle)

• पूज्याः: worthy of worship
• पूज्याः: Vidhaya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (कृदन्त; √पूज् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम्; English: masculine nominative plural, predicate adjective/gerundive 'to be worshipped'

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (reason/emphasis)

• सततम्: always
• सततम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययभावे द्वितीया एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषण); English: adverbial accusative 'always'

• द्विजाः: Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; English: masculine nominative plural

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-विशेषणम्; English: genitive plural 'of all'

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

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (restrictive particle)

• दानानाम्: of gifts/charities
• दानानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; English: neuter genitive plural

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; English: masculine nominative plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (विप्राः)

• अधिकारिणः: eligible/entitled recipients
• अधिकारिणः: Vidhaya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिकारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेय-नाम; English: masculine nominative plural, predicate noun

Speaker

Śiva (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim household offers food and drink to dvijas: leaf-plates, water pots, shaded rest area near the temple; recipients bless the donors.

Characters & Entities

• Dvāja/Dvija
• Vipra
• Dāna (charity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sustaining others—especially through food and drink—is elevated as a direct, continual form of honoring dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra; the verse supports the kṣetra’s culture of dāna and reverence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Anna-pāna-pradāna (giving food and drink) and ongoing dvija/vipra-pūjā.