Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13
अमृतं बाह्मणस्यान्नं क्षत्रियान्नं पयः स्मृतम् । वैश्यान्नमन्नमित्याहुः शूद्रान्नं रुधिरं स्मृतम्
amṛtaṃ bāhmaṇasyānnaṃ kṣatriyānnaṃ payaḥ smṛtam | vaiśyānnamannamityāhuḥ śūdrānnaṃ rudhiraṃ smṛtam
“ภัตตาหารของพราหมณ์นับเป็นดุจอมฤต; ภัตตาหารของกษัตริย์ระลึกว่าเป็นดุจน้ำนม. ของไวศยะเรียกเพียงว่า ‘อาหาร’; ของศูทรระลึกว่าเป็นดุจโลหิต”
Antyaja (contextual continuation)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A symbolic four-part composition: four vessels labeled nectar, milk, food, and blood aligned with brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—rendered as allegory rather than literal gore; a teacher-figure points to the sequence.
FAQs
It presents a symbolic valuation of food as a way to reinforce ritual ideas of purity and social duty found in traditional discourse.
The teaching occurs within the Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, tying dharma-instruction to the sanctity of Prabhāsa.
No single rite is prescribed; the verse provides classificatory teaching used to justify restrictions about food.