Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 88

Devanagari script

निजाहारपरीमाणं प्राप्य सर्वोपि देहभृत् । सदृशीमेव संतृप्तिं प्राप्नुयान्नाधिकेतराम्

Transliteration

nijāhāraparīmāṇaṃ prāpya sarvopi dehabhṛt | sadṛśīmeva saṃtṛptiṃ prāpnuyānnādhiketarām

Translation

ஒவ்வொரு உடலுடையவனும் தன் உரிய உணவு அளவைப் பெற்றால், அதற்கேற்பத் திருப்தியையே அடைவான்; அதற்கு மேல் அல்ல, வேறுமல்ல।

Word by Word

• निजाहारपरीमाणम्: the measure of one’s own food
• निजाहारपरीमाणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + आहार (प्रातिपदिक) + परिमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (निजस्य आहारस्य परिमाणम्)

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु) उपसर्गः प्र-; क्त्वान्त (प्राप्य)
• Form: अव्यय-भावे क्त्वा (gerund); ‘having obtained/after reaching’

• सर्वः: every
• सर्वः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘every (one)’

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); ‘also/even’

• देहभृत्: embodied being
• देहभृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक) + √भृ (धातु) कृत्-प्रत्ययः क्विप् (भृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देहं बिभर्ति इति)

• सदृशीम्: similar
• सदृशीम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (संतृप्तिम्)

• एव: only
• एव: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात; ‘only/indeed’

• संतृप्तिम्: satiation
• संतृप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राप्नुयात्: should attain
• प्राप्नुयात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु) उपसर्गः प्र-
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात; ‘not’

• अधिकेतराम्: greater (than that)
• अधिकेतराम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक) + इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः; ‘more than that/greater’ (संतृप्तिम् विशेषयति)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda instructing Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in Kāśī receives a modest portion of food (anna) near a ghat; the face shows calm satisfaction while abundance remains untouched, emphasizing measure over excess.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Moderation brings true contentment; satisfaction is naturally proportionate when one takes only what is appropriate.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa context (Vārāṇasī/Kāśī), though this verse itself is a general dharma instruction rather than a single-tīrtha eulogy.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the verse advises a niyama (discipline) of measured eating.