Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

यानीह दत्तानि पुरा नरेन्द्रैर्दानानि धर्मार्थयशस्कराणि । निर्माल्यरूपप्रतिमानि तानि को नाम साधुः पुनराददाति

Transliteration

yānīha dattāni purā narendrairdānāni dharmārthayaśaskarāṇi | nirmālyarūpapratimāni tāni ko nāma sādhuḥ punarādadāti

Translation

Jene Gaben, die einst hier von Königen gespendet wurden — Gaben, die Dharma, Wohlstand und Ruhm mehren — sind wie heilige Opfergaben, die bereits beiseitegelegt sind; welcher Tugendhafte nähme sie je wieder zurück?

Word by Word

• यानि: which (things)
• यानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• दत्तानि: given
• दत्तानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies दानानि)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: formerly)

• नरेन्द्रैः: by kings
• नरेन्द्रैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नराणाम् इन्द्राः = kings)

• दानानि: gifts/donations
• दानानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• धर्मार्थयशस्कराणि: bringing dharma, wealth, and fame
• धर्मार्थयशस्कराणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + यशस् (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (धर्म-अर्थ-यशः-कर = producing dharma, wealth, fame); विशेषणम् (qualifies दानानि)

• निर्माल्यरूपप्रतिमानि: having the form of offerings/garlands (as sacred remnants)
• निर्माल्यरूपप्रतिमानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्माल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (निर्माल्यरूपा प्रतिमा = images like garlands/offerings); विशेषणम् (qualifies तानि/दानानि)

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• नाम: indeed/ever
• नाम: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/विस्मय-सूचक-अव्यय (particle: indeed/at all)

• साधुः: a good man
• साधुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• आददाति: takes back
• आददाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (Revākhaṇḍa narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Purāṇic framing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A row of earlier royal donors placing gifts before a shrine; the gifts glow as consecrated nirmālya, while a would-be taker hesitates, hands withdrawn, as elders and priests admonish him.

Characters & Entities

• Narendra (kings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True virtue treats a completed donation as inviolable; retracting gifts is morally repugnant.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Revākhaṇḍa sacred region frames the discourse; this verse emphasizes donation-ethics rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it reinforces the rule that gifts (especially royal donations) should never be reclaimed.