Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

मणिरत्नप्रवालानां रूप्यं हाटकवाससाम् । अन्येषामपि दानानामन्नदानं विशिष्यते

Transliteration

maṇiratnapravālānāṃ rūpyaṃ hāṭakavāsasām | anyeṣāmapi dānānāmannadānaṃ viśiṣyate

Translation

حتى إذا قورن بعطايا الجواهر والدرر والمرجان والفضة والذهب والملابس—فإن صدقة الطعام تمتاز وتعلو على سائر الصدقات.

Word by Word

• मणिरत्नप्रवालानाम्: of gems, jewels, and corals
• मणिरत्नप्रवालानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि (प्रातिपदिक) + रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वसमासः (collective copulative)

• रूप्यम्: silver (gift)
• रूप्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• हाटकवाससाम्: of golden garments
• हाटकवाससाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हाटक (प्रातिपदिक) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (hāṭakasya vāsāṃsi)

• अन्येषाम्: of other
• अन्येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-प्रयोगः

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे ‘also/even’

• दानानाम्: of gifts/charities
• दानानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• अन्नदानम्: the gift of food
• अन्नदानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (annasya dānam)

• विशिष्यते: is distinguished/excels
• विशिष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + शिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

A Purāṇic narrator addressing Devarṣi Nārada (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A donor stands before two options: trays of jewels and gold on one side, and steaming food offered to a line of hungry pilgrims on the other; the narrative highlights the superior radiance of annadāna.

Characters & Entities

• Annadāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Materially precious gifts are praised, yet feeding others is elevated as the most spiritually significant charity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it provides a general dharma-teaching within a māhātmya frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prioritize annadāna (food charity) even above costly donations like gold, silver, gems, and clothing.