Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

सुभद्रेण च सर्वस्वं देयं विप्रेभ्य एव च । चतुर्थांशश्च यैर्भुक्तं तद्गृहे स्वधनस्य च

Transliteration

subhadreṇa ca sarvasvaṃ deyaṃ viprebhya eva ca | caturthāṃśaśca yairbhuktaṃ tadgṛhe svadhanasya ca

Translation

وبنيةٍ مباركةٍ ينبغي أن يُسلَّم المرءُ كلَّ ماله للبراهمة. وأمّا الذين قد تمتعوا بنصيبهم، ففي بيوتهم أنفسها ليقدّموا ربعَ ثروتهم.

Word by Word

• सुभद्रेण: by/through Subhadra (name)
• सुभद्रेण: Karana (Instrument/Agentive association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया, एकवचनम्; (व्यक्तिनाम)

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

• सर्वस्वम्: all possessions/everything
• सर्वस्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• देयम्: to be given
• देयम्: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √दा (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तव्यतार्थे यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (gerundive/obligatory); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘सर्वस्वम्’ विशेषणम्

• विप्रेभ्यः: to the brāhmaṇas
• विप्रेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), बहुवचनम्

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

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

• चतुर्थांशः: a fourth part
• चतुर्थांशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थ + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (caturthaḥ aṃśaḥ)

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

• यैः: by whom
• यैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया, बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• भुक्तम्: enjoyed/consumed
• भुक्तम्: Karma (Implied object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √भुज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle/क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; (अर्थतः ‘भुक्तम् (धनम्)’ ellipsis)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Determinative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी/प्रथमा?; अत्र ‘तद्गृहे’ इति समासपूर्वपदम् (that)

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी, एकवचनम्

• स्वधनस्य: of one’s own wealth
• स्वधनस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (svam dhanam)

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

Speaker

Unspecified (instructional voice in the Nāgara-khaṇḍa narrative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Householders present deeds, coins, grain, and valuables to seated brāhmaṇas; a sense of solemn renunciation pervades, while scribes record shares—full gifts for some, a quarter-share for those who previously enjoyed benefits.

Characters & Entities

• vipra (brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification and welfare are pursued through generous dāna, especially to worthy brāhmaṇas, as a dharmic remedy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha context is the Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya; the particular place-name is not stated in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna: giving wealth to brāhmaṇas; additionally, a “fourth share” (caturthāṃśa) of one’s wealth is prescribed for those who partook/benefited.