Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

महादानानि देयानि तत्र लौकैर्विचक्षणैः । गोदानमत्र शंसन्ति सौवर्णं राजतं तथा

Transliteration

mahādānāni deyāni tatra laukairvicakṣaṇaiḥ | godānamatra śaṃsanti sauvarṇaṃ rājataṃ tathā

Translation

Dort sollen verständige Menschen große Gaben darbringen. An jenem Ort preist man besonders die Gabe einer Kuh, ebenso Gaben aus Gold und Silber.

Word by Word

• mahādānāni: great gifts/major charities
• mahādānāni: Karta (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-dāna (प्रातिपदिक; महा + दान)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; कर्मधारय-समास (महच्च तत् दानम्)

• deyāni: to be given / should be donated
• deyāni: Karta-predicate (obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dā (धातु) → deya (कृदन्त)
• Form: Gerundive (यत्), Neuter, Nominative, Plural; agrees with mahādānāni

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक)

• laukaiḥ: by people
• laukaiḥ: Kartr̥ (agent, instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; ‘by people’

• vicakṣaṇaiḥ: discerning/wise
• vicakṣaṇaiḥ: Kartr̥ (agent qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-cakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; adjective qualifying laukaiḥ

• godānam: cow-gift (donation of a cow)
• godānam: Karman (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go-dāna (प्रातिपदिक; गो + दान)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (गोः दानम्)

• atra: here (in this context/place)
• atra: Adhikarana (place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक)

• śaṃsanti: praise/commend
• śaṃsanti: Kriya (verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śaṃs (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, Present), 3rd Person, Plural

• sauvarṇam: gold (gift)/golden (donation)
• sauvarṇam: Karman (object, coordinated with godānam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: suvarṇa (प्रातिपदिक) → sauvarṇa (तद्धित)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adjective used substantively (‘golden (gift)’)

• rājatam: silver (gift)
• rājatam: Karman (object, coordinated)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rajata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adjective used substantively (‘silver (gift)’)

• tathā: and also / likewise
• tathā: Samuccaya (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/adverb (समुच्चय/तुल्यतार्थ)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Revā Khaṇḍa tīrtha-māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā–Kumbheśvara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the riverbank shrine, a donor leads a decorated cow for gifting; attendants present gold and silver vessels; learned recipients bless the donor while the Kumbheśvara temple stands behind.

Characters & Entities

• Revā–Kumbheśvara (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

At a powerful tīrtha, generosity becomes a direct instrument of dharma and lasting merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha under discussion in this adhyāya—centered on Revā–Kumbheśvara in the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer mahā-dāna, especially go-dāna, and gifts of gold and silver at the sacred site.