Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

किं दानैर्विविधैर्दत्तैः किं यज्ञैश्च सुविस्तरैः । किं तीर्थैर्विविधैहोमैस्तपोभिः किं च कष्टदैः

Transliteration

kiṃ dānairvividhairdattaiḥ kiṃ yajñaiśca suvistaraiḥ | kiṃ tīrthairvividhaihomaistapobhiḥ kiṃ ca kaṣṭadaiḥ

Translation

ما الحاجة إلى عطايا شتّى تُبذَل، وما الحاجة إلى قرابين واسعةٍ مطوّلة؟ وما الحاجة إلى مزاراتٍ شتّى، وإلى قرابين النار (هوما)، أو إلى تقشّفاتٍ شاقّةٍ مؤلمة؟

Word by Word

• किम्: what (use/point)
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• दानैः: by/with gifts
• दानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (दानैः)

• दत्तैः: given
• दत्तैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → दत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (दानैः)

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• यज्ञैः: by sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

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

• सुविस्तरैः: very elaborate
• सुविस्तरैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक) → सुविस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (यज्ञैः)

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• तीर्थैः: by pilgrimages/sacred places
• तीर्थैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (तीर्थैः/होमैः)

• होमैः: by oblations/fire-rites
• होमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तपोभिः: by austerities
• तपोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

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

• कष्टदैः: pain-giving, arduous
• कष्टदैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कष्टद (प्रातिपदिक) [कष्ट + द (ददाति-समर्थ) ]
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (तपोभिः/कर्माणि implied)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) emphasizing comparative merit (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-sage addressing a king, gesturing away from piles of ritual paraphernalia—yajña implements, homa fires, travel gear—toward a single Śiva shrine lamp symbolizing concentrated merit.

Characters & Entities

• Dāna
• Yajña
• Tīrtha
• Homa
• Tapas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a highly sanctified setting, one focused observance can outweigh numerous complex religious acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Implicitly the Arbuda-kṣetra/Acaleśa context, where a particular Phālguna observance is being elevated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new prescription; it rhetorically devalues other acts in comparison to the upcoming/ongoing Phālguna-anta Caturdaśī practice.