Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

श्रद्धया पात्रमासाद्य यत्किंचिद्दीयते वसु । देशे काले च विधिना तदानंत्याय कल्पते

Transliteration

śraddhayā pātramāsādya yatkiṃciddīyate vasu | deśe kāle ca vidhinā tadānaṃtyāya kalpate

Translation

Welcher Besitz auch immer gegeben wird — selbst wenn es nur wenig ist —, wenn er im Glauben einem würdigen Empfänger dargebracht und nach rechter Vorschrift, Ort und Zeit vollzogen wird, wird er zu einer Gabe, die zu endlosem Verdienst führt.

Word by Word

• śraddhayā: with faith
• śraddhayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• pātram: a worthy recipient
• pātram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• āsādya: having approached
• āsādya: Kriya (Non-finite/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-sad (सद् धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-अव्यय (gerund): ‘आसाद्य’ = प्राप्य (having approached/obtained)

• yat: whatever
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• kiṃcit: something
• kiṃcit: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (something)

• dīyate: is given
• dīyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• vasu: wealth
• vasu: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• deśe: in the proper place
• deśe: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• kāle: at the proper time
• kāle: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• vidhinā: according to rule
• vidhinā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• tat: that (gift)
• tat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देशार्थक (that)

• ānaṃtyāya: for endlessness; for infinite merit
• ānaṃtyāya: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ānaṃtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन), एकवचन

• kalpate: is fit/amounts to
• kalpate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kḷp (कॢप् धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a Kāśī ghat after bathing, a pilgrim offers a small coin/cloth with reverence to a worthy recipient (a learned brāhmaṇa or needy devotee), with temple spires and Gaṅgā behind—emphasizing intention over quantity.

Characters & Entities

• Dāna (charity)
• Pātra (worthy recipient)
• Śraddhā (faith)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The value of a gift lies in faith, worthiness, and right context—small offerings can yield inexhaustible merit when done properly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kāśī’s teaching framework, dāna is presented as a key practice that amplifies the spiritual fruit of living or visiting Vārāṇasī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna-vidhi: give with śraddhā to a pātra, observing proper place (deśa), time (kāla), and procedure (vidhi).