Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 41
Devanagari script
अकृत्वा वैश्वदेवं तु भुंजते ये द्विजाधमाः । इह लोकेन्नहीनाः स्युः काकयोनिं व्रजंत्यथ
Transliteration
akṛtvā vaiśvadevaṃ tu bhuṃjate ye dvijādhamāḥ | iha lokennahīnāḥ syuḥ kākayoniṃ vrajaṃtyatha
Translation
凡二次生者中卑劣之人，若不先行毗湿瓦提婆（Vaiśvadeva）供献而食，于此世必致乏食；其后更堕入乌鸦之胎、乌鸦之境。
Word by Word
अकृत्वाwithout having performed
अकृत्वा:
Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formनञ्-पूर्वक-क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (negative gerund), 'कृत्वा' with अ- (not having done)
वैश्वदेवम्the Vaiśvadeva (rite)
वैश्वदेवम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवैश्वदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (particle; contrast/emphasis)
भुञ्जतेeat
भुञ्जते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभुज् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद
येwho
ये:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
द्विजाधमाःthe lowest among the twice-born
द्विजाधमाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः—'द्विजेषु अधमाः'
इहhere
इह:
Desha-adhikarana (Place/देशाधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (deictic adverb)
लोकेin the world
लोके:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
अन्नहीनाःdeprived of food
अन्नहीनाः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
स्युःwould be/should become
स्युः:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद
काकयोनिम्the womb/species of crows
काकयोनिम्:
Gati/Karma (Destination as object/गति-कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकाक (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
व्रजन्तिgo
व्रजन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootव्रज् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद
अथthen
अथ:
Sambandha (Sequencing/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (conjunctive particle; 'then')
Speaker
Skanda
Tirtha Mahatmya
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A cautionary vision: a man eats alone without offering; the scene shifts to him suffering hunger and then to a symbolic crow-state, while a contrasting figure offers food and is blessed with abundance.
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśvadevaFAQs
Food must be sanctified by offering and sharing; otherwise it brings karmic deprivation and degradation.
The warning is delivered within Kāśī-khaṇḍa, reinforcing Kashi’s dharma as integral to its sacred greatness.
Do not eat without first completing the Vaiśvadeva offering.