Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

अन्नदानपरो नित्यं विशेषेणातिथिप्रियः । स्वाध्यायव्रतशीलो यो न प्रेतो जायते नरः

Transliteration

annadānaparo nityaṃ viśeṣeṇātithipriyaḥ | svādhyāyavrataśīlo yo na preto jāyate naraḥ

Translation

எவன் எப்போதும் அன்னதானத்தில் ஈடுபட்டு, குறிப்பாக விருந்தினரைப் போற்றி மகிழ்ந்து, ஸ்வாத்யாயமும் விரதமும் ஒழுக்கமாகக் கடைப்பிடிக்கிறானோ—அவன் மனிதன் பிரேதமாகப் பிறக்கமாட்டான்।

Word by Word

• अन्नदानपरः: devoted to food-giving
• अन्नदानपरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्नदान + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (devoted to giving food)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Time/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगे क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: always)

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रकारे (especially)

• अतिथिप्रियः: fond of guests; hospitable
• अतिथिप्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिथि + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (fond of guests)

• स्वाध्यायव्रतशीलः: habitually engaged in self-study and vows
• स्वाध्यायव्रतशीलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाध्याय + व्रत + शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (having the habit of study and vows)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• प्रेतः: a preta
• प्रेतः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय

• जायते: is born/becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्ता

Speaker

Māṃsāda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The King

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder distributing food to the needy and to travelers; a guest welcomed with water for washing feet; in the background, the same person studying sacred texts and observing a vow (simple meal/fast).

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sustaining others through food, honoring guests, and maintaining disciplined spiritual practice purify karma and elevate one’s posthumous course.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named in this verse; the emphasis is on dharma supportive of tīrtha culture (service, charity, vows).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Anna-dāna (feeding), atithi-sevā (guest-honor), and svādhyāya with vrata-observance are recommended.