Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

न्यायागतेन द्रव्येण कर्तव्यं पारलौकिकम् । दानं च विधिना देयं काले पात्रे च भावतः

Transliteration

nyāyāgatena dravyeṇa kartavyaṃ pāralaukikam | dānaṃ ca vidhinā deyaṃ kāle pātre ca bhāvataḥ

Translation

Mit rechtmäßig erworbenem Gut soll man Taten vollbringen, deren Frucht über diese Welt hinausreicht. Auch die Gabe (dāna) ist nach Vorschrift zu spenden: zur rechten Zeit, einem würdigen Empfänger und mit aufrichtigem Sinn.

Word by Word

• nyāya-āgatena: by lawfully obtained
• nyāya-āgatena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nyāya (प्रातिपदिक) + āgata (कृदन्त; √gam धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (न्यायेन आगतः = न्यायागतः)

• dravyeṇa: with wealth/substance
• dravyeṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• kartavyam: should be done
• kartavyam: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु) + tavya (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थकं कर्तव्यतावाचकं (gerundive)

• pāralaukikam: other-worldly (for the next world)
• pāralaukikam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāralaukika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘कर्तव्यं’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• dānam: gift/charity
• dānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

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

• vidhinā: by proper rule/rite
• vidhinā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• deyam: is to be given
• deyam: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dā (दा धातु) + ya (कृत्प्रत्यय; देय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विधेयार्थकं (gerundive)

• kāle: at the proper time
• kāle: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• pātre: in/for a worthy recipient
• pātre: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

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

• bhāvataḥ: according to one’s means/with proper intent
• bhāvataḥ: Hetu/Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्/तस्-प्रत्ययान्त), अर्थः—‘भावेन/यथाभावम्’ (according to one’s capacity/with proper intention)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder in Kāśī offers a carefully prepared gift to a worthy brāhmaṇa/recipient near a ghat, with Ganga flowing behind; the giver’s posture shows humility and śraddhā.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Merit-bearing acts, especially charity, must be grounded in righteous livelihood, proper procedure, and sincere intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to the Kāśī Māhātmya context of the Skanda Purāṇa, situating dharma as especially potent in Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), even when the verse is a general rule.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna should be performed with vidhi—given at the proper time (kāla), to a fit recipient (pātra), and with proper bhāva (inner disposition).