Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

दत्त्वा दानानि भूरीणि गौरिणीनां द्विजन्मनाम् । ततश्च गृहमभ्येति भूरिवादित्रनिःस्वनैः

Transliteration

dattvā dānāni bhūrīṇi gauriṇīnāṃ dvijanmanām | tataśca gṛhamabhyeti bhūrivāditraniḥsvanaiḥ

Translation

গৌৰৱনীয় দ্বিজন্ম ব্ৰাহ্মণসকলক প্ৰচুৰ দান দিয়া পাছত, বহু বাদ্যযন্ত্ৰৰ গম্ভীৰ ধ্বনিৰ মাজেৰে তাই ঘৰলৈ উভতি আহে।

Word by Word

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — ‘having given’

• दानानि: gifts, donations
• दानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• भूरीणि: many, abundant
• भूरीणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — adjective agreeing with दानानि

• गौरिणीनाम्: of the Gaurīs (women devoted to Gaurī)
• गौरिणीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Genitive plural

• द्विजन्मनाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजन्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास/तत्पुरुष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Genitive plural; ‘of the twice-born’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय — ‘then’

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

• गृहम्: home
• गृहम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular (goal)

• अभ्येति: goes towards / returns
• अभ्येति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + इ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present indicative, 3rd sg

• भूरिवादित्रनिःस्वनैः: with the sounds of many musical instruments
• भूरिवादित्रनिःस्वनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूरि + वादित्र + निःस्वन (प्रातिपदिक; समास/तत्पुरुष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; ‘with the loud sounds of many instruments’

Speaker

Sūta (deduced: Purāṇic narration within Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Following the rite, the devotee distributes abundant gifts to venerable dvijas; then she returns home as multiple instruments play auspicious music in procession.

Characters & Entities

• Gaurī
• Dvija (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-acts become complete through dāna—generosity to the worthy seals the merit of worship and pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within a Tīrthamāhātmya passage of the Nāgara Khaṇḍa (Adhyāya 177); the snippet implies a local sacred water-body (jalāśaya) connected to Gaurī-pūjā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing abundant charity (dāna) to the twice-born after the observance, as part of the tīrtha-oriented rite.