Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

स्वर्णं चैव सदा देयं वासांसि विविधानि च । निजशक्त्या प्रकर्तव्या सुरास्तृप्तिर्द्विजन्मनाम्

Transliteration

svarṇaṃ caiva sadā deyaṃ vāsāṃsi vividhāni ca | nijaśaktyā prakartavyā surāstṛptirdvijanmanām

Translation

স্বর্ণ সর্বদা দান করা উচিত, এবং নানা প্রকার বস্ত্রও; নিজ সামর্থ্য অনুযায়ী এমন দান করতে হবে যাতে দেবগণ তৃপ্ত হন ও দ্বিজগণ সন্তুষ্ট হন।

Word by Word

• स्वर्णम्: gold
• स्वर्णम्: Karma (object of giving)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphasis/only)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय

• देयम्: to be given
• देयम्: Kartṛ-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + देय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः—तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be given’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषणम् (स्वर्णम्)

• वासांसि: garments
• वासांसि: Karma (object of giving)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• विविधानि: various
• विविधानि: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (वासांसि)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• निजशक्त्या: with one’s own ability
• निजशक्त्या: Karaṇa (instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (निजा शक्ति)

• प्रकर्तव्या: to be performed
• प्रकर्तव्या: Kartṛ-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु) + कर्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः—तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be done’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषणम् (तृप्तिः)

• सुराः: the gods
• सुराः: Kartā (agent of satisfaction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• तृप्तिः: satisfaction
• तृप्तिः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• द्विजन्मनाम्: of the twice-born (Brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजन्मनाम्: Sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (द्वे जन्मनी यस्य = ‘twice-born’, i.e., Brāhmaṇas)

Speaker

Brahmā (implied from narrative context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-kṣetra (dāna ancillary to yātrā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Surāḥ / general audience within the māhātmya frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims or householders in Ayodhyā offering gold and folded garments to learned brāhmaṇas near a shrine/ghāṭa; devas symbolically pleased above, indicating deva-tṛpti through human dāna.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Devas
• Dvija (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is completed by dāna—generosity according to one’s means—supporting dharma and sanctifying merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction belongs to the Brahmakuṇḍa-centered Ayodhyā Māhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna of gold and various garments, performed within one’s capacity, along with acts that satisfy the devas and gratify the twice-born.