Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 33
येनात्र दुहिता दत्ता प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयसी । तेन सर्वमिदं दत्तं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्
yenātra duhitā dattā prāṇebhyo'pi garīyasī | tena sarvamidaṃ dattaṃ trailokyaṃ sacarācaram
Wer hier eine Tochter—teurer noch als der Lebenshauch—als heilige Gabe (kanyādāna) hingibt, der hat, gleichsam, die ganzen drei Welten mit allem Bewegten und Unbewegten verschenkt.
Īśvara (Śiva)
Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha
Type: kshetra
Listener: Uttānapāda (king)
Scene: On the serene bank of the Revā, a father performs kanyādāna: the bride’s hand placed into the groom’s, sacred fire blazing, priests reciting mantras; the river glimmers behind, suggesting the ‘three worlds’ as a cosmic backdrop.
FAQs
Kanyādāna is portrayed as an unsurpassed offering—symbolically equivalent to giving the whole cosmos—because one gives what is most precious.
No particular site is singled out in the verse; the statement functions as a general dharma-eulogy within Revākhaṇḍa.
The act praised is kanyādāna—formally giving the daughter in marriage as a dharmic gift.