Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

अकृत्वा वैश्वदेवं तु भुञ्जते ये द्विजाधमाः । इह लोकेन्नहीनाः स्युः काकयोनिं व्रजंत्यथो

Transliteration

akṛtvā vaiśvadevaṃ tu bhuñjate ye dvijādhamāḥ | iha lokennahīnāḥ syuḥ kākayoniṃ vrajaṃtyatho

Translation

வைஶ்வதேவம் செய்யாமல் உண்பவர்கள் எனும் கீழ்மையான இருமுறைப் பிறந்தோர், இவ்வுலகில் அன்னமின்றி வாடி, பின்னர் காகயோனியை அடைவர்.

Word by Word

• अकृत्वा: without performing
• अकृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) + अ (उपसर्ग/निषेध)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), निषेधार्थे ‘अ-’ उपसर्गयुक्तम्; अर्थः ‘कृत्वा’ इत्यस्य निषेधः

• वैश्वदेवम्: the Vaiśvadeva offering/rite
• वैश्वदेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्वदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• भुञ्जते: they eat/enjoy
• भुञ्जते: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यः/ये (relative pronoun)

• द्विजाधमाः: the lowest of the twice-born
• द्विजाधमाः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानाम् अधमाः)

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/कालवाचक (adverb)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अन्नहीनाः: deprived of food
• अन्नहीनाः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (अन्नेन हीनाः)

• स्युः: would be
• स्युः: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• काकयोनिम्: the womb/species of a crow
• काकयोनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काक (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (काकस्य योनि:)

• व्रजन्ति: they go/attain
• व्रजन्ति: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अथो: and then/indeed thereafter
• अथो: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय) + उ (निपात)
• Form: निपातसमुदाय; ‘अथ’ (then) + ‘उ’ (emphasis)

Speaker

Deductive (sectional narration; likely Sūta speaking in a dharma-teaching passage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa household at mealtime: a small fire-altar/Agni, offerings of cooked rice with ghee, a crow perched nearby symbolizing the warned rebirth; the householder neglecting the rite contrasted with a pious householder offering first.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ignoring daily sacred duty around food leads to deprivation and degraded karmic outcomes; discipline sanctifies sustenance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is karmic consequence tied to household ritual.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Vaiśvadeva before taking one’s meal; do not eat first without offering.