Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

भूप्रदो मंडलाधीशः सर्वत्रसुखिनोन्नदाः । तोयदाता सदा तृप्तो रूपवान्रूप्यदो भवेत्

Transliteration

bhūprado maṃḍalādhīśaḥ sarvatrasukhinonnadāḥ | toyadātā sadā tṛpto rūpavānrūpyado bhavet

Translation

مَن يهبُ الأرضَ يصيرُ سيّدَ إقليمٍ، ناشرًا الفرحَ والرفاهَ في كلّ مكان. ومَن يسقي بالماء يبقَ دائمَ الرضا. ومَن يقدّمُ هدايا الزينة يغدو حسنَ الهيئة؛ ومَن يهبُ الفضّة ينالُ الغنى واليسر.

Word by Word

• bhū-pradaḥ: giver of land
• bhū-pradaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (दा धातु; कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (भूमेः प्रदः = भूमिदाता)

• maṃḍala-adhīśaḥ: lord of a realm
• maṃḍala-adhīśaḥ: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃḍala (प्रातिपदिक) + adhīśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मण्डलस्य अधीशः)

• sarvatra-sukhī: happy everywhere
• sarvatra-sukhī: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarvatra (अव्यय) + sukhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (सर्वत्र सुखी)

• unnadaḥ: resounding/celebrated
• unnadaḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: unnada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• toya-dātā: giver of water
• toya-dātā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक) + dātṛ (दा धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तोयस्य दाता)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

• tṛptaḥ: satisfied
• tṛptaḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tṛp (तृप् धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• rūpavān: handsome
• rūpavān: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + matup् (मतुप् प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive)

• rūpya-daḥ: giver of silver
• rūpya-daḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpya (प्रातिपदिक) + da (दा धातु; कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रूप्यस्य दः = रजतदाता)

• bhavet: would become
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic procession of four donors: one grants a plot of land to a temple, one offers water to travelers, one gives fine garments/beautifying items, and one offers silver—each shown receiving corresponding auspicious radiance (crown, contented aura, beauty, wealth).

Characters & Entities

• Dāna (charity)
• Bhū-dāna (gift of land)
• Toya-dāna (gift of water)
• Rūpya (silver)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Generosity shapes destiny: different forms of dāna yield corresponding fruits—authority, contentment, beauty, and prosperity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching operates within Kāśī’s dharma ethos, promoting dāna as a pillar of merit for those living in or visiting Vārāṇasī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Charity guidance via dāna-phala: emphasize bhū-dāna (land), toya-dāna (water), and rūpya-dāna (silver), each linked to specific results.