Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

सवस्त्रं ससुवर्ण च कलशं प्रति मान्वितम् । दत्त्वाचार्याय महते सदाचाररताय च । ब्राह्मणान्भोजयेद्भक्त्या यथाशक्त्याभिपूज्य च

Transliteration

savastraṃ sasuvarṇa ca kalaśaṃ prati mānvitam | dattvācāryāya mahate sadācāraratāya ca | brāhmaṇānbhojayedbhaktyā yathāśaktyābhipūjya ca

Translation

Nachdem man dem ehrwürdigen Ācārya — der rechter Lebensführung ergeben ist — einen Kalaśa samt Gewändern und Gold, begleitet von einem Bildnis, dargebracht hat, soll man sodann die Brahmanen in Hingabe speisen und sie nach Kräften ehren.

Word by Word

• स-वस्त्रम्: together with cloth
• स-वस्त्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासवत् प्रयोग (सह-अर्थे ‘स’ उपपद) — “वस्त्रेण सह”; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — qualifying ‘कलशम्’

• स-सुवर्णम्: together with gold
• स-सुवर्णम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपपद) + सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासवत् (सह-अर्थे) — “सुवर्णेन सह”; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — qualifying ‘कलशम्’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) — conjunction “and”

• कलशम्: a pot (ritual vessel)
• कलशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — accusative singular

• प्रतिमान्वितम्: accompanied by an image
• प्रतिमान्वितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिमा + अन्वित (√इ/√अन्वि, क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (“प्रतिमया अन्वितम्” = accompanied by an image); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — qualifying ‘कलशम्’

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त) — absolutive/gerund “having given”

• आचार्याय: to the teacher (ācārya)
• आचार्याय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — dative singular

• महते: great
• महते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन — qualifying ‘आचार्याय’

• सदाचार-रताय: devoted to good conduct
• सदाचार-रताय: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदाचार + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे कर्मधारयवत् (“सदाचारे रतः” = devoted to good conduct); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन — qualifying ‘आचार्याय’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) — “and”

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन — accusative plural

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु) [णिच् causative: भोजय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — “should feed”

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन — instrumental singular

• यथा-शक्त्या: according to one’s ability
• यथा-शक्त्या: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास — “शक्त्यानुसारम्”; स्त्रीलिङ्ग तृतीया एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverbial instrumental)

• अभिपूज्य: having duly honored
• अभिपूज्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त) — absolutive/gerund “having honored/worshipped”

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) — “and”

Speaker

Unknown (contextual narrator/instructor within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Concluding ceremony: an ācārya receives a cloth-wrapped kalaśa with gold and a small image; Brahmins are seated for a devotional feast; the donor bows respectfully.

Characters & Entities

• Ācārya (preceptor)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Pratimā
• Kalaśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The fruit of a vow is safeguarded by gratitude—honouring the teacher and supporting the Brahmins through respectful giving and feeding.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular sacred place is mentioned; the emphasis is on udyāpana charity and hospitality.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Donate a kalaśa with cloth and gold (with an image), give it to a worthy ācārya, and feed and honour Brahmins as able.