Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 123

Devanagari script

यस्माद्दानं महर्लोके ह्यनन्तमुदके भवेत् । पादाभ्यङ्गं शिरोऽभ्यङ्गं काममुद्दिश्य वै द्विजे

Transliteration

yasmāddānaṃ maharloke hyanantamudake bhavet | pādābhyaṅgaṃ śiro'bhyaṅgaṃ kāmamuddiśya vai dvije

Translation

Denn die Gabe von Wasser wird im Verdienst unendlich und reicht bis nach Maharloka. Ebenso bringen Fußmassage und Salbung des Hauptes, wenn sie einem Dvija in rechter Absicht dargebracht werden, großen Lohn.

Word by Word

• यस्मात्: from which/because of which
• यस्मात्: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• दानम्: gift/charity
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महर्लोके: in Maharloka
• महर्लोके: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थे/निश्चयार्थे

• अनन्तम्: endless
• अनन्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (दानम्)

• उदके: in water
• उदके: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be/should become
• भवेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पादाभ्यङ्गम्: foot-massage/anointing of the feet
• पादाभ्यङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्यङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभ्यङ्गम्: anointing/massage
• अभ्यङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (शिरः-अभ्यङ्गम्) कर्मसम्बन्धः

• कामम्: desire (Kāma)
• कामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उद्देश्य-रूपेण

• उद्दिश्य: having intended (for)
• उद्दिश्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्+दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having intended’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारणार्थे/प्रसिद्ध्यर्थे

• द्विजे: in/for a twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• द्विजे: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Śaṅkara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a riverside rest-shed, a donor offers a water-pot to a brāhmaṇa; nearby, attendants perform foot-massage and head-anointing as part of honoring the guest; a subtle cosmic vista hints at Maharloka as the merit’s reach.

Characters & Entities

• Maharloka
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Water-charity and humble service are exalted as far-reaching merits, extending beyond earthly results to higher worlds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa’s setting evokes the sanctified culture of giving associated with the Revā (Narmadā) pilgrimage region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Udaka-dāna (donation of water) and service-gifts like foot and head anointing to a dvija (Brāhmaṇa).