Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

सम्पूज्य ब्राह्मणान् पार्थ धनदानहिरण्यतः । वस्त्रेण छत्रदानेन शय्याताम्बूलभोजनैः

Transliteration

sampūjya brāhmaṇān pārtha dhanadānahiraṇyataḥ | vastreṇa chatradānena śayyātāmbūlabhojanaiḥ

Translation

O Pārtha, nachdem man die Brahmanen gebührend geehrt hat, soll man Gaben spenden — Reichtum und Gold, Gewänder, die Gabe eines Schirms, ein Lager, Betel und Speise.

Word by Word

• सम्पूज्य: having worshipped well
• सम्पूज्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-पूज् (धातु) → सम्पूज्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having duly worshipped)

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• पार्थ: O Pārtha
• पार्थ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• धन-दान-हिरण्यतः: by (giving) wealth and gold (as gifts)
• धन-दान-हिरण्यतः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक) + हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; समाहारद्वन्द्व-आधारित समुच्चयार्थ + तद्धितान्त 'तस्' (ablatival adverb): 'धनदानहिरण्यादिभिः/धन-दान-हिरण्य-रूपेण' (by way of wealth, gifts, gold)

• वस्त्रेण: with cloth/garments
• वस्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• छत्रदानेन: with the gift of an umbrella
• छत्रदानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी: 'छत्रस्य दानम्'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• शय्या-ताम्बूल-भोजनैः: with beds, betel, and food
• शय्या-ताम्बूल-भोजनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शय्या (प्रातिपदिक) + ताम्बूल (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (समाहार/इतरेतर: 'शय्या च ताम्बूलं च भोजनं च'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

Speaker

Vyāsa (in dialogue with Yudhiṣṭhira) [deduced]

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā-tīra (dāna completion)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At dawn on the ghat, brāhmaṇas are seated on mats; the donor offers gold coins, folded garments, a parasol, a bedding roll, betel leaves, and trays of food; attendants pour water for ācamana.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Pārtha (Arjuna)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is strengthened through respectful service and generous giving to worthy recipients.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā sacred region, where śrāddha and dāna gain heightened merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Specific dāna items: wealth, gold, clothes, umbrella, bed, betel, and food after honoring Brāhmaṇas.