Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

अविभज्य न चाश्नीयाद्देवपित्रतिथिष्वपि । परिचारकवर्गेषु गोषु भिक्षुकुलेषु च

Transliteration

avibhajya na cāśnīyāddevapitratithiṣvapi | paricārakavargeṣu goṣu bhikṣukuleṣu ca

Translation

Nàng không nên ăn khi chưa chia phần và bố thí trước—dù là cho chư thiên, tổ tiên (pitṛ) và khách. Lại cũng phân phát cho người hầu, cho bò, và cho các gia đình khất sĩ.

Word by Word

• avibhajya: without dividing
• avibhajya: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vi√bhaj (धातु) → vibhajya (कृदन्त) with a- (नञ्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive) with नञ्; ‘without dividing/sharing’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• āśnīyāt: should eat
• āśnīyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √aś (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• deva-pitṛ-atithiṣu: among gods, ancestors, and guests
• deva-pitṛ-atithiṣu: Adhikarana (Context/विषयाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + atithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (देवाः च पितरः च अतिथयः च)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-निपात (even/also)

• paricāraka-vargeṣu: in groups of attendants
• paricāraka-vargeṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paricāraka (प्रातिपदिक) + varga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (परिचारकाणां वर्गेषु)

• goṣu: among cows
• goṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• bhikṣu-kuleṣu: in families/communities of mendicants
• bhikṣu-kuleṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhikṣu (प्रातिपदिक) + kula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (भिक्षूणां कुलेषु)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A meal distribution tableau: offerings placed at a small shrine, a guest seated respectfully, servants and children receiving portions, a cow being fed, and a mendicant family at the gate receiving alms—household as a hub of dharma.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Food is a trust—one should nourish others first (gods, ancestors, guests, dependents), embodying generosity and duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s sacred-living framework; it reinforces Kāśī’s reputation as a city of dharma and hospitality.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Distribution prior to eating: offerings/allocations connected with deva and pitṛ duties, and feeding atithis, cows, servants, and mendicants.