Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

धर्ममर्थं च कामं च व्रीडाहर्षभयानि च । अधिष्ठानानि दानानां षडेतानि प्रचक्षते

Transliteration

dharmamarthaṃ ca kāmaṃ ca vrīḍāharṣabhayāni ca | adhiṣṭhānāni dānānāṃ ṣaḍetāni pracakṣate

Translation

Dharma, artha (Gewinn), kāma (Begehren) sowie Scham, Freude und Furcht—diese sechs werden als die Grundlagen bezeichnet, die zum Vollzug von dāna (Gabe) antreiben.

Word by Word

• धर्मम्: dharma/righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अर्थम्: wealth/purpose
• अर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कामम्: desire/pleasure
• कामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• व्रीडाहर्षभयानि: shame, joy, and fear
• व्रीडाहर्षभयानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रीडा-हर्ष-भय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (व्रीडा च हर्षः च भयम् च)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अधिष्ठानानि: bases/grounds
• अधिष्ठानानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिष्ठान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• दानानाम्: of gifts/charity
• दानानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• षट्: six
• षट्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• प्रचक्षते: declare/describe
• प्रचक्षते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājan (King)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A donor stands at a crossroads with six signposts labeled dharma/artha/kāma/vrīḍā/harṣa/bhaya; each path shows a different outcome—serene light for dharma, bargaining scene for artha, sensual allure for kāma, crowd gaze for shame, festive gratitude for joy, looming shadow for fear.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Giving arises from mixed motives; discerning these motives helps align dāna with dharma rather than self-interest or pressure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is referenced; the verse is a doctrinal classification of dāna.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse prescribes a sixfold framework for evaluating or understanding acts of charity by their underlying basis.