Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

नानाभक्ष्याणि भोज्यानि पानानि विविधानि च । लक्षं कर्मकराणां तु दासीनां लक्षमेव च

Transliteration

nānābhakṣyāṇi bhojyāni pānāni vividhāni ca | lakṣaṃ karmakarāṇāṃ tu dāsīnāṃ lakṣameva ca

Translation

பலவகை உண்ணத்தக்கவை, பரிமாறத்தக்க உணவுகள், பலவித பானங்கள் (அளிக்கப்படுக); மேலும் ஒரு இலட்சம் தொழிலாளர்கள், அதுபோல ஒரு இலட்சம் பணிப்பெண்களும்।

Word by Word

• नाना-भक्ष्याणि: various eatables
• नाना-भक्ष्याणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना-भक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक; नाना + भक्ष्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘various eatables’ (नाना as avyaya in compound)

• भोज्यानि: foods/dishes
• भोज्यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘foods fit to be eaten’

• पानानि: drinks
• पानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• विविधानि: various
• विविधानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (पानानि/भक्ष्याणि/भोज्यानि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• लक्षम्: a hundred thousand
• लक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• कर्मकराणाम्: of workers/servants
• कर्मकराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म-कर (प्रातिपदिक; कर्म + कर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपात

• दासीनाम्: of female servants
• दासीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दासी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• लक्षम्: a hundred thousand
• लक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa māhātmya narration context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast pilgrim camp near the sacred kṣetra: rows of kitchens, cauldrons, servers distributing meals and drinks; organized workers and attendants moving in coordinated service.

Characters & Entities

• Anna-dāna
• Hospitality
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred journeys are upheld by hospitality and service—feeding others is a central form of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where service and provisioning are portrayed as part of the holy observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arranging extensive provisions of food and drink and organizing manpower to sustain the rite and guests.