Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

अथ सर्वानृषीञ्छ्रेष्ठान्दक्षिणाभिर्नृपोत्तमः । पूजयित्वा वरान्नेन भोजयित्वा च भक्तितः

Transliteration

atha sarvānṛṣīñchreṣṭhāndakṣiṇābhirnṛpottamaḥ | pūjayitvā varānnena bhojayitvā ca bhaktitaḥ

Translation

پھر اس بہترین بادشاہ نے سب برگزیدہ رشیوں کو دَکشِنا (نذرانہ) دے کر عزت بخشی اور بھکتی کے ساتھ انہیں عمدہ اَنّ سے کھانا کھلایا۔

Word by Word

• अथ: then, thereafter
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (indeclinable; sequence/beginning marker)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म); बहुवचन (plural)

• ऋषीन्: sages
• ऋषीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म); बहुवचन

• श्रेष्ठान्: excellent, foremost
• श्रेष्ठान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of ऋषीन्)

• दक्षिणाभिः: with gifts/fees (dakṣiṇās)
• दक्षिणाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण); बहुवचन

• नृपोत्तमः: the best of kings
• नृपोत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता); एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नृपाणाम् उत्तमः)

• पूजयित्वा: having honored
• पूजयित्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having done)

• वरान्नेन: with excellent food
• वरान्नेन: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण); एकवचन; कर्मधारय (वरम् अन्नम्)

• भोजयित्वा: having fed (made them eat)
• भोजयित्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) [णिच् causative: भोजय-]
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); णिजन्त-धातु (causative); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान); एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे—हेतौ/कारणे (from devotion; as cause)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; not explicit in verse snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A righteous king in a sabhā honors seated sages with dakṣiṇā and serves them a ceremonial feast of choice foods; attendants carry vessels, garlands, and gifts.

Characters & Entities

• nṛpottama (king)
• ṛṣi (sages)
• dakṣiṇā (gifts)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rāja-dharma includes reverence to sages through dāna and hospitality; devotion expressed as service becomes a source of puṇya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse emphasizes dharmic hospitality rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dakṣiṇā (charitable gifting to officiants/sages) and bhojana (feeding guests/sages) are explicitly mentioned.