Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

न लभ्यते चेत्तत्पात्रं तदा संकल्पपूर्वकम् । एकं सत्पात्रमुद्दिश्य प्रक्षिपेदुदकं भुवि

Transliteration

na labhyate cettatpātraṃ tadā saṃkalpapūrvakam | ekaṃ satpātramuddiśya prakṣipedudakaṃ bhuvi

Translation

Wenn ein würdiger Empfänger nicht zu finden ist, so vollziehe man zuvor den Saṅkalpa (feierliche Intention); dann, einen einzigen satpātra im Geist bestimmend, gieße man Wasser als Opfergabe auf die Erde.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• लभ्यते: is obtained, is found
• लभ्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: is obtained)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-निपात (conditional particle: if)

• तत्पात्रम्: that (proper) recipient/vessel
• तत्पात्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्-पात्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता (लभ्यते इत्यस्य)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-vishesana (Time marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• संकल्पपूर्वकम्: with prior resolve (intentionally)
• संकल्पपूर्वकम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संकल्प-पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative: intentionally/with prior resolve)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सत्पात्रम्)

• सत्पात्रम्: a worthy recipient
• सत्पात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्-पात्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (उद्दिश्य इत्यस्य)

• उद्दिश्य: having designated, intending
• उद्दिश्य: Purvakala (Prior action marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्-√दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having indicated/aiming at'

• प्रक्षिपेत्: should throw, should cast
• प्रक्षिपेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उदकम्: water
• उदकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• भुवि: on the earth/ground
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भू)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण (on the ground)

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setutīrtha/Setukṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim stands on clean sand/earth near the sacred shore, hands in saṅkalpa posture, then pours a small stream of water from a kamaṇḍalu onto the ground; a subtle vision of the intended satpātra appears in a thought-cloud.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma provides a conscientious alternative when ideal conditions are unavailable—intention and purity of offering remain central.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Setukhaṇḍa, the instruction supports tīrtha-practice at Setu, where dāna is integrated with ritual intention (saṅkalpa).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

If no worthy recipient is available, perform saṅkalpa, mentally dedicate to a satpātra, and pour water onto the earth as an offering.