Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

माध्याह्निकं वैश्वदेवं गृहस्थः स्वयमाचरेत् । पत्नी सायं बलिं दद्यात्सिद्धान्नैर्मंत्रवर्जितम्

Transliteration

mādhyāhnikaṃ vaiśvadevaṃ gṛhasthaḥ svayamācaret | patnī sāyaṃ baliṃ dadyātsiddhānnairmaṃtravarjitam

Translation

正午时，家主应亲自修行毗湿婆提婆（Vaiśvadeva）供献。傍晚时，妻子当以熟食安置巴利（bali）供物，不诵咒语。

Word by Word

• माध्याह्निकम्: the midday rite
• माध्याह्निकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माध्याह्निक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वैश्वदेवम्: the Vaiśvadeva offering
• वैश्वदेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्वदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गृहस्थः: the householder
• गृहस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: personally
• स्वयम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• आचरेत्: should perform
• आचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पत्नी: the wife
• पत्नी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सायम्: in the evening
• सायम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सायम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (time-adverb)

• बलिम्: an offering (bali)
• बलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सिद्धान्नैः: with cooked foods
• सिद्धान्नैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• मन्त्रवर्जितम्: devoid of mantras
• मन्त्रवर्जितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (कृदन्त; √वर्ज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Midday: householder near a small domestic fire/shrine offers Vaiśvadeva; evening: wife places small portions of cooked rice as bali at threshold/corners, quietly without mantras.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśvadeva
• Bali

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Household life is sanctified through disciplined daily offerings shared with divine and living beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Varanasi) is the setting, presenting ideal household conduct as part of Kāśī’s dharma-centered sacred culture.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Vaiśvadeva at midday; offer evening bali from cooked food, explicitly without mantra-recitation.