Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

तेन दानेन मे नित्यं प्रीयेतां हरिशङ्करौ । ततो राज्ञी च सा प्राह नारदं मुनिपुंगवम्

Transliteration

tena dānena me nityaṃ prīyetāṃ hariśaṅkarau | tato rājñī ca sā prāha nāradaṃ munipuṃgavam

Translation

„Durch diese Gabe mögen Hari und Śaṅkara mir stets wohlgesinnt sein.“ Darauf sprach die Königin zu Nārada, dem Vorzüglichsten unter den Weisen.

Word by Word

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• दानेन: by (this) gift/charity
• दानेन: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक रूप

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्रीयेताम्: may (they) be pleased
• प्रीयेताम्: Kriyā (Wish/command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद: ‘let (them) be pleased’

• हरिशङ्करौ: Hari and Shankara (Vishnu and Shiva)
• हरिशङ्करौ: Karta (Subject of ‘प्रीयेताम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि + शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/हेतु/कालवाचक (then/thereupon)

• राज्ञी: the queen
• राज्ञी: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्ञी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject—appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriyā (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नारदम्: to Narada
• नारदम्: Karma (Object—addressed person)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मुनिपुंगवम्: the foremost of sages
• मुनिपुंगवम्: Apposition/Viśeṣaṇa (to object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + पुंगव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘नारदम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण/उपाधि

Speaker

Narrator (introducing the queen’s statement)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (Revākhaṇḍa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After giving, the queen prays inwardly that Hari and Śaṅkara be perpetually pleased; Nārada stands as witness, the atmosphere serene, with subtle iconographic hints of both deities (conch/discus and trident).

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Nārada
• Queen

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna becomes devotion when offered with the wish to please the divine—here honoring both Viṣṇu (Hari) and Śiva (Śaṅkara).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Revā Khaṇḍa glorifies the Revā (Narmadā) region; this verse focuses on the devotional intent behind charity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Charity dedicated to divine satisfaction—explicitly framed as pleasing Hari and Śaṅkara.