Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 122

Devanagari script

सर्वेषामेव दानानां ब्रह्मदानं विशिष्यते । येन येन हि भावेन यद्यद्दानं प्रयच्छति

Transliteration

sarveṣāmeva dānānāṃ brahmadānaṃ viśiṣyate | yena yena hi bhāvena yadyaddānaṃ prayacchati

Translation

Unter allen Gaben ragt das Brahmadāna hervor, die Gabe heiligen Wissens. Welche Gabe ein Mensch auch darbringt und in welcher Gesinnung und Hingabe er sie darbringt—

Word by Word

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्व-प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘दानानाम्’ इत्यस्य

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधानार्थक/निश्चयार्थक

• दानानाम्: of gifts/charities
• दानानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मदानम्: gift of Brahman/knowledge-gift
• ब्रह्मदानम्: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + दान (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः दानम्)

• विशिष्यते: is distinguished/excels
• विशिष्यते: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + शिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; भावे/कर्तरि—‘excels/is distinguished’

• येन: by which
• येन: करण (Instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘भावेन’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• येन: by whichever
• येन: करण (Instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति—वितर्क/विविधत्वार्थ

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक

• भावेन: with the intention/attitude
• भावेन: करण (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: कर्म (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘दानम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण; सन्धिविग्रहः: यत् + यत् + दानम्

• यत्: any (whatsoever)
• यत्: कर्म (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति—विविधत्वार्थ

• दानम्: gift/charity
• दानम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रयच्छति: gives/bestows
• प्रयच्छति: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced for Āvantya Khaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrthas (general frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic moment: a sacred setting by the Revā; a donor offering palm-leaf manuscript/teaching-seat to a learned Brāhmaṇa, emphasizing reverence and inner devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Brahma-dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest charity is sharing sacred wisdom, and the inner intention (bhāva) behind any gift shapes its spiritual outcome.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa context connects the teaching to the sanctified Revā/Narmadā pilgrimage landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Brahma-dāna is singled out as superior; the verse also stresses offering any dāna with the right devotional disposition.