Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

पात्रभूताय विप्राय स्वल्पं वा यदि वा बहु । अक्षयं तत्फलं प्रोक्तं शिवेन परमेष्ठिना

Transliteration

pātrabhūtāya viprāya svalpaṃ vā yadi vā bahu | akṣayaṃ tatphalaṃ proktaṃ śivena parameṣṭhinā

Translation

Ob die Gabe gering oder groß ist: Wird sie einem würdigen Brahmanen dargebracht, so ist ihre Frucht als unvergänglich verkündet—so hat Śiva, der höchste Herr, gesprochen.

Word by Word

• पात्रभूताय: to one who has become a worthy recipient
• पात्रभूताय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पात्र + भूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पात्रं भूतो यः)

• विप्राय: to a brāhmaṇa
• विप्राय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• स्वल्पम्: a little (gift)
• स्वल्पम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘दानम्’ इत्यर्थे (elliptic object)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• यदि: if
• यदि: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• बहु: much (gift)
• बहु: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘दानम्’ इत्यर्थे (elliptic object)

• अक्षयम्: imperishable
• अक्षयम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; ‘तत्फलम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तत्फलम्: its fruit/result
• तत्फलम्: कर्ता/कर्मणि-प्रधाने (Subject of passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य फलम्)

• प्रोक्तम्: is declared
• प्रोक्तम्: क्रिया (Predicate, passive participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः—‘उक्तम्/declared’

• शिवेन: by Śiva
• शिवेन: कर्ता (Agent in passive/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• परमेष्ठिना: by the Supreme Lord
• परमेष्ठिना: कर्ता (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; ‘शिवेन’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator citing Śiva’s declaration (Śiva as ultimate authority for the teaching)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene Śaiva atmosphere: a brāhmaṇa ‘pātra’ seated with kuśa grass and waterpot; a devotee offers a small bundle (coins/cloth/grain) with humility; an unseen Śiva’s sanction suggested by a subtle liṅga or trident motif in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Parameṣṭhin)
• Vipra (worthy brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The worthiness of the recipient and the giver’s sincerity make charity spiritually inexhaustible.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction supports the tīrtha-observance framework of Kāpila-tīrtha in the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Give dāna—small or large—to a fit brāhmaṇa recipient; its fruit is said to be akṣaya (imperishable).