Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

शक्त्या द्विजानां देयं च छत्रं धोत्रं कमंडलुम् । प्रणम्य ब्राह्मणान्भक्त्या नारदः प्रीयतामिति

Transliteration

śaktyā dvijānāṃ deyaṃ ca chatraṃ dhotraṃ kamaṃḍalum | praṇamya brāhmaṇānbhaktyā nāradaḥ prīyatāmiti

Translation

Nach Maß der eigenen Möglichkeiten soll man den Dvija (Zweimalgeborenen) einen Schirm, ein Tuch und ein Kamaṇḍalu (Wassergefäß) geben. In hingebungsvoller Verneigung vor den Brāhmaṇas spreche man: „Möge Nārada zufrieden sein.“

Word by Word

• शक्त्या: by (one's) ability/power
• शक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; साधन/उपायार्थे (by means of ability/power)

• द्विजानाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), बहुवचन

• देयम्: (is) to be given
• देयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय) → देय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be given)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• छत्रम्: umbrella
• छत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

• धोत्रम्: sacrificial ladle/strainer (dhotra)
• धोत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कमण्डलुम्: water-pot (kamaṇḍalu)
• कमण्डलुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमण्डलु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु) + ल्यप् → प्रणम्य (अव्ययीभाव/क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having bowed)

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतौ/भावे (with devotion)

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रीयताम्: may (he) be pleased
• प्रीयताम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; आज्ञा/आशीः (let him be pleased)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्ति सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

Speaker

Contextual (injunctive passage within Sūta’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Guptakṣetra (implied by surrounding context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and other ṛṣis at Naimiṣāraṇya (standard Skanda frame; not explicit in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim/kingly figure offers a white parasol, folded cloth, and a kamaṇḍalu to seated brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis; hands joined in namaskāra; Nārada nearby with vīṇā, blessing the act.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Brāhmaṇas (Dvijas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity given according to one’s capacity, coupled with humility and devotion, becomes a powerful means of accruing merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named; the focus is on dhārmic giving and honoring brāhmaṇas within the narrative’s sacred framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform dāna to dvijas (parasol, cloth, water-pot), bow to brāhmaṇas, and utter the sankalpa-like phrase “Nāradaḥ prīyatām” (May Nārada be pleased).