Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

एतच्छ्रुत्वा ततो राजा तुलादानं चकार ह । दीयमाने तदा दाने चातुर्विद्या बभाषिरे

Transliteration

etacchrutvā tato rājā tulādānaṃ cakāra ha | dīyamāne tadā dāne cāturvidyā babhāṣire

Translation

এ কথা শুনে রাজা তখন তুলাদান করলেন; আর দান প্রদানকালে চতুর্বিদ্যা-নিপুণ পণ্ডিতগণ বাক্য উচ্চারণ করলেন।

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having heard)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Desha/Kala (देश/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अव्ययीभावार्थक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: then/from there)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• तुलादानम्: gift by weighing (tulā-dāna)
• तुलादानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला-दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तुलायाः दानम्)

• चकार: did / performed
• चकार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (emphatic particle)

• दीयमाने: while (it was) being given
• दीयमाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √दा (धातु) + यक् (passive) + शानच्; दीयमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि शानच्; ‘while being given’ (locative absolute with दाने)

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (temporal adverb)

• दाने: in/at the donation
• दाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्

• चातुर्विद्याः: the four branches of learning (the four Vedas/knowledges)
• चातुर्विद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्-विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—द्विगुः (चतस्रः विद्याः)

• बभाषिरे: spoke
• बभाषिरे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Brāhma Khaṇḍa; likely Sūta-style narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand tulā (balance scale) is set; the king is weighed against gold/grain; brāhmaṇas chant; gifts are distributed as the scale steadies.

Characters & Entities

• King (rājā)
• Cāturvidyas (learned scholars)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When justice is sought and charity is offered with sincerity, dharma is strengthened and social harmony is restored.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A specific tīrtha is not named in this verse; it continues the Dharmāraṇya narrative sequence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tulādāna—making a donation by weighing (traditionally weighing oneself or valuables and donating an equivalent).