Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 131

Devanagari script

दानात्परतरं चान्यत्क्वचिद्वस्तु न विद्यते । तद्दानं च महापुण्यमार्तेभ्यो यत्प्रदीयते

Transliteration

dānātparataraṃ cānyatkvacidvastu na vidyate | taddānaṃ ca mahāpuṇyamārtebhyo yatpradīyate

Translation

Nirgends gibt es etwas, das höher wäre als das Geben. Und höchst verdienstvoll ist die Gabe, die den Bedrängten dargebracht wird.

Word by Word

• दानात्: from/than giving (from donation)
• दानात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• परतरम्: higher, superior
• परतरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परतर (प्रातिपदिक; तद्धित-तारतम्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

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

• अन्यत्: anything else
• अन्यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• क्वचित्: anywhere/ever
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/काल-अव्यय (adverb: somewhere/ever)

• वस्तु: a thing
• वस्तु: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• विद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; भावे/सत्तायाम् प्रयोगः (exists)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दानम्: giving, donation
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• महा-पुण्यम्: greatly meritorious
• महा-पुण्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महच्च तत् पुण्यम्)

• आर्तेभ्यः: to the afflicted/distressed
• आर्तेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), बहुवचन

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative)

• प्रदीयते: is given
• प्रदीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive); उपसर्ग: प्र-

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Himalayan shrine setting where a devotee offers alms to a distressed traveler—warm compassion against austere Kedāra peaks.

Characters & Entities

• Dāna
• Ārta (the distressed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna is presented as the foremost dharma, especially when directed to those in suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra’s sacred context is upheld by highlighting compassionate acts that complete the spirit of tīrtha-yātrā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Give charity (dāna), with special priority to helping the distressed (ārta).