Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणांश्च महाभाग दानसंमानभोजनैः । पूजयेत्परया भक्त्या तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु

Transliteration

brāhmaṇāṃśca mahābhāga dānasaṃmānabhojanaiḥ | pūjayetparayā bhaktyā tasya puṇyaphalaṃ śṛṇu

Translation

噢尊贵有福者，当以布施、恭敬迎接与饮食供养来礼敬婆罗门，并以至上奉爱（bhakti）事奉之。今且聆听由此生起的功德之果。

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

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

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (महान् भागः यस्य सः)

• दानसंमानभोजनैः: by gifts, honors, and meals
• दानसंमानभोजनैः: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान + संमान + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (दानं च संमानः च भोजनं च)

• पूजयेत्: should honor/worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Injunctive action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• परया: with supreme
• परया: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भक्त्या: devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तस्य: of that (act)/its
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पुण्यफलम्: the meritorious result
• पुण्यफलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुण्यस्य फलम्)

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Skanda Purāṇa narrative style within Āvantya Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: mahābhāga (noble one; addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A charitable pavilion near the ghāṭa: brāhmaṇas seated in a row receiving food and gifts; the patron offers with folded hands; vessels of rice, ghee, fruits; priests chant blessings.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Serving and honoring brāhmaṇas with devotion is treated as a powerful form of dharma that yields great puṇya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within the Revā Khaṇḍa frame, the teaching belongs to the Revā (Narmadā) sacred geography, though this verse itself emphasizes service rather than naming a tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (giving), sammāna (respectful hospitality), and bhojana (feeding) offered to brāhmaṇas with parā-bhakti.