Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

षड्रसं भोजनं तच्च पंचभेदं वदंति च । येन भुक्तेन तृप्तं स्यात्क्षेत्रं यद्देहलक्षणम्

Transliteration

ṣaḍrasaṃ bhojanaṃ tacca paṃcabhedaṃ vadaṃti ca | yena bhuktena tṛptaṃ syātkṣetraṃ yaddehalakṣaṇam

Translation

ਉਹ ਭੋਜਨ ਛੇ ਰਸਾਂ ਵਾਲਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਉਸ ਦੀਆਂ ਪੰਜ ਕਿਸਮਾਂ ਵੀ ਕਹੀਆਂ ਜਾਂਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ; ਜਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਖਾ ਕੇ ‘ਖੇਤਰ’—ਦੇਹ-ਲੱਛਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਸਰੀਰ—ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• षड्रसम्: six-flavoured (six tastes)
• षड्रसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (षड् रसाः यस्य/षड्रसात्मकम्)

• भोजनम्: food; eating
• भोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• पञ्चभेदम्: fivefold division
• पञ्चभेदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्च भेदाः)

• वदन्ति: they say
• वदन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन (instrumental of relative pronoun)

• भुक्तेन: by what is eaten; by the eaten (food)
• भुक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुज् (धातु) → भुक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies implied ‘भोजनम्’)

• तृप्तम्: satisfied
• तृप्तम्: Kriya (Predicate complement/क्रियापूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृप् (धातु) → तृप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; भाववाचक/विशेषण

• स्यात्: would be; may become
• स्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• क्षेत्रम्: field; body (as field)
• क्षेत्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (relative)

• देहलक्षणम्: having the mark of the body; characterized as body
• देहलक्षणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (देहस्य लक्षणम्)

Speaker

Kamaṭha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teaching tableau where ‘six tastes’ are symbolized as six small bowls offered before a seated ascetic; the human body is shown as a ‘field’—a subtle outline with lotus/earth motifs—becoming calm and steady through proper nourishment.

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetra (body/field)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The body (kṣetra) must be sustained appropriately; outer nourishment supports dharmic living, while the teaching points onward to a higher ‘food’ for the Self.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the verse describes the nature of physical food and its role in sustaining the body.