Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

यथापरं परंनाम प्रोक्तं परमभोजनम् । परमः प्रोच्यते चात्मा तस्य तद्भोजनं भवेत्

Transliteration

yathāparaṃ paraṃnāma proktaṃ paramabhojanam | paramaḥ procyate cātmā tasya tadbhojanaṃ bhavet

Translation

ดุจดังคำว่า “ยิ่งไปกว่า” ถูกเรียกว่า “สูงสุด” ฉันใด “อาหารสูงสุด” ก็ถูกกล่าวฉันนั้น อาตมันถูกเรียกว่า “สูงสุด”; เพราะฉะนั้น อาหารสูงสุดนั้นย่อมเป็นของพระอาตมันนั้น

Word by Word

• यथा: as; in the manner that
• यथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (adverb: as/according to)

• अपरम्: lower; other; prior
• अपरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण

• परम्: higher; supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• प्रोक्तम्: is declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (has been stated)

• परमभोजनम्: supreme food
• परमभोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (परमं भोजनम्)

• परमः: the Supreme (one)
• परमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• प्रोच्यते: is called; is said
• प्रोच्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार; आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; कर्मणि (passive)

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

• आत्मा: Self; soul
• आत्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• तस्य: of that; his
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies भोजनम्)

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

• भवेत्: would be; should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

Speaker

Kamaṭha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic ascent: below, ordinary food and senses; above, a radiant Ātman-flame receiving ‘supreme food’ as sound-scripture streams entering the heart-lotus.

Characters & Entities

• Ātman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True fulfillment is not only bodily; the highest nourishment is that which feeds the Self—wisdom and dharma that lead toward liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse is an inward, philosophical elevation of the theme.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No external ritual is prescribed; it defines ‘supreme food’ as that which pertains to the Ātman.