Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

विधिना च प्रदद्याद्यो विधिना यस्तु गृह्णते । तावुभौ पुण्यकर्माणौ प्रेक्षकः पुण्यभाजनम्

Transliteration

vidhinā ca pradadyādyo vidhinā yastu gṛhṇate | tāvubhau puṇyakarmāṇau prekṣakaḥ puṇyabhājanam

Translation

Wer nach rechter Vorschrift gibt, und wer nach rechter Vorschrift empfängt—beide vollbringen verdienstvolles Tun; selbst der Zuschauer wird zum Gefäß des Verdienstes.

Word by Word

• विधिना: according to rule/rite
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण/प्रकार

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• प्रदद्यात्: should give
• प्रदद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• विधिना: according to rule
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• गृह्णते: accepts/takes
• गृह्णते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; विशेषण (तौ)

• पुण्यकर्माणौ: of meritorious deeds
• पुण्यकर्माणौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (पुण्यं कर्म यस्य सः)

• प्रेक्षकः: the witness/observer
• प्रेक्षकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• पुण्यभाजनम्: a receptacle of merit
• पुण्यभाजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य + भाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पुण्यस्य भाजनम्)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formal dāna ceremony: giver offers with ritual gestures; receiver accepts with prescribed mantras; a small group of onlookers stands respectfully, gaining merit.

Characters & Entities

• Vidhi
• Dāna
• Puṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is strengthened when giving and receiving are done with correct intention and proper ritual order; righteousness radiates merit even to witnesses.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Revā-tīrtha tradition (Narmadā region) where acts done ‘by vidhi’ are celebrated as especially fruitful.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna performed and accepted ‘vidhinā’—in accordance with prescribed rules and decorum.