Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

वैष्णवानां तु भक्तानां यत्फलं वेदवादिनाम् । पठतां वैष्णवं शास्त्रं वैष्णवानां तु यच्छताम्

Transliteration

vaiṣṇavānāṃ tu bhaktānāṃ yatphalaṃ vedavādinām | paṭhatāṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ śāstraṃ vaiṣṇavānāṃ tu yacchatām

Translation

أيها الملك، إن ثمرةَ عبادةِ البهاكتا من أتباع فيشنو (الڤايشنڤا) هي بعينها ثمرةُ من يشرحون الفيدا؛ وثمرةُ من يتلون شاسترا الڤايشنڤا ويدرسونها، وثمرةُ من يهبون العطايا للڤايشنڤا.

Word by Word

• वैष्णवानाम्: of Vaiṣṇavas
• वैष्णवानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• भक्तानाम्: of devotees
• भक्तानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; भज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• यत्: whatever; which
• यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative) विशेषणम् (qualifying फलम्)

• फलम्: fruit; result
• फलम्: Karta/Predicate-noun (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• वेदवादिनाम्: of Veda expounders
• वेदवादिनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; ‘वेदं वदन्ति’ (reciters/expounders of the Veda)

• पठताम्: of those who recite/read
• पठताम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ) ‘पठत्’; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• वैष्णवम्: Vaiṣṇava (pertaining to Viṣṇu)
• वैष्णवम्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying शास्त्रम्)

• शास्त्रम्: treatise; scripture
• शास्त्रम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• वैष्णवानाम्: of Vaiṣṇavas
• वैष्णवानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• यच्छताम्: of those who give/bestow
• यच्छताम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यम् (धातु; यच्छति)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ) ‘यच्छत्’; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; दानार्थक-प्रयोग (giving)

Speaker

Unspecified (Dvārakā Māhātmya narrator addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (addressed ‘O king’ in translation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned assembly in Dvārakā: a Vaiṣṇava teacher recites śāstra; devotees listen; a king offers gifts to Vaiṣṇavas; Vedic palm-leaf manuscripts and tulasī present, linking learning, devotion, and charity.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiṣṇava
• Veda
• Vaiṣṇava-śāstra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion to Viṣṇu expressed through scripture-study and honoring Vaiṣṇava devotees yields Vedic-level merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding passage belongs to the Dvārakā Māhātmya within the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa, praising Dvārakā-centered Vaiṣṇava worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recitation/study of Vaiṣṇava scripture and dāna (giving) to Vaiṣṇavas.