Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

दत्त्वा दानानि विप्रेभ्यः शक्त्या विप्रानुसारतः । अर्चयित्वा महापुष्पैः सुगन्धैर्मदनेन च

Transliteration

dattvā dānāni viprebhyaḥ śaktyā viprānusārataḥ | arcayitvā mahāpuṣpaiḥ sugandhairmadanena ca

Translation

Nachdem er den Brāhmaṇas Gaben nach seiner Kraft und ihrem gebührenden Anteil gegeben hatte, verehrte er sodann mit prächtigen Blumen, duftenden Opfergaben und Weihrauch.

Word by Word

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (Non-finite/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया

• दानानि: gifts
• दानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• विप्रेभ्यः: to the brahmins
• विप्रेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन

• शक्त्या: according to (one's) ability
• शक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; साधनार्थे

• विप्रानुसारतः: in accordance with the brahmins (as prescribed by them)
• विप्रानुसारतः: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुसारतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्यय 'अनुसारतः' (according to) पूर्वपदेन 'विप्र' सम्बन्धः

• अर्चयित्वा: having worshipped
• अर्चयित्वा: Kriya (Non-finite/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) → अर्चयित्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• महापुष्पैः: with great flowers
• महापुष्पैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयसमास (महानि पुष्पाणि)

• सुगन्धैः: fragrant
• सुगन्धैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुगन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (महापुष्पैः इत्यस्य)

• मदनेन: with Madana (Kāma)/with love-god (offerings)
• मदनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee presents folded cloth and coins to seated brāhmaṇas; then turns to the shrine, offering large blossoms, perfumed paste, and curling incense smoke before the deity.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma balances devotion and generosity: give according to capacity, then offer the finest worship with purity and fragrance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā-khaṇḍa sacred domain associated with Narmadā tīrthas and Śaiva worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform dāna to brāhmaṇas (as per means), and conduct pūjā using flowers, perfumes, and incense.