Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 97

Devanagari script

दत्त्वोपदं यथार्हं ते प्रणेमुः क्षोणिवज्रिणम् । केचित्संभाषिता राज्ञादरसोदरया गिरा

Transliteration

dattvopadaṃ yathārhaṃ te praṇemuḥ kṣoṇivajriṇam | kecitsaṃbhāṣitā rājñādarasodarayā girā

Translation

Nachdem sie angemessene Gaben nach ihrem Vermögen dargebracht hatten, verneigten sie sich vor dem König, dem „Donnerkeil der Erde“. Einige sprach der König mit Worten voller Wärme und Achtung an.

Word by Word

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययभाव (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having given)

• उपदं: a gift/present
• उपदं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• यथार्हम्: as appropriate
• यथार्हम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (according to what is proper)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रणेमुः: bowed down
• प्रणेमुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• क्षोणिवज्रिणम्: the thunderbolt of the earth (i.e., the mighty king)
• क्षोणिवज्रिणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षोणि (प्रातिपदिक) + वज्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-सम्भाव्य); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेष्य (object of bowing)

• केचित्: some (of them)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम (some)

• संभाषिताः: were addressed/spoken to
• संभाषिताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-भाष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘were spoken to’

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अदरसोदरया: with affectionate (sweet, cordial)
• अदरसोदरया: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदर (प्रातिपदिक) + सोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘(with) sweet-brotherly/affectionate’ (qualifying girā)

• गिरा: speech/words
• गिरा: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर्/गिरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative voice typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Townsmen present modest-to-rich gifts and bow to the king, described as ‘earth’s thunderbolt’; the king responds with affectionate, honoring words to some.

Characters & Entities

• King
• citizens
• gift (upada)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Proper giving and respectful humility are shown as dharmic conduct, even in worldly settings within sacred Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī as a sacred city-context; the verse focuses on civic devotion and dharmic order rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general dharmic act is implied: offering appropriate gifts (dāna/upahāra) when meeting authority.