Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

भूपालोऽसौ ददौ दानमासहस्राद्धनार्थिनाम् । दशमीदिवसे रात्रौ गजपृष्ठेन दुन्दुभिः

Transliteration

bhūpālo'sau dadau dānamāsahasrāddhanārthinām | daśamīdivase rātrau gajapṛṣṭhena dundubhiḥ

Translation

সেই রাজা ধনপ্রার্থীদের—হাজার জন পর্যন্ত—দান দিয়ে তৃপ্ত করলেন। দশমী তিথির রাত্রিতে হাতির পিঠে বসানো দুন্দুভি বাজিয়ে নগরে ঘোষণা হল।

Word by Word

• भूपालः: the king, protector of the earth
• भूपालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—भू + पाल (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'भूमेः पालः')

• असौ: that (man), he
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दानम्: a gift, donation
• दानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• आसहस्रात्: up to a thousand (in amount/extent)
• आसहस्रात्: Avyaya (अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (prepositional particle) ‘आ’ + पञ्चमी-एकवचन रूप ‘सहस्रात्’; अर्थः—'up to a thousand / as far as a thousand'

• धनार्थिनाम्: of those seeking wealth (the needy)
• धनार्थिनाम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—धनस्य अर्थी (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• दशमीदिवसे: on the tenth day
• दशमीदिवसे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशमी + दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; समासः—दशम्याः दिवसः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (वैकल्पिक रूप)

• गजपृष्ठेन: by/with an elephant’s back (mounted on an elephant)
• गजपृष्ठेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—गजस्य पृष्ठम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• दुन्दुभिः: with a drum
• दुन्दुभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुन्दुभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (ऋकारान्त-प्रातिपदिक; रूपम् ‘दुन्दुभिः’)

Speaker

Nārada

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: कुरूद्वह (best of the Kurus) is addressed later in the sequence; listener implied as a Kuru prince

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king on a caparisoned elephant at night, attendants beating a large drum (dundubhi), lines of supplicants receiving gifts; torchlight, banners, and orderly civic ritual.

Characters & Entities

• Indradyumna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna becomes stronger when it is systematic and accessible—public generosity is part of rāja-dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse describes royal practice within the narrative leading to the māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Organized dāna (charitable giving) publicly proclaimed (drum on elephant) on a specific tithi (Daśamī).