Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

पाणिपात्रस्य मे ह्यम्ब भिक्षां देह्यवरोधतः । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य पाणिपात्रस्य बालिका

Transliteration

pāṇipātrasya me hyamba bhikṣāṃ dehyavarodhataḥ | tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya pāṇipātrasya bālikā

Translation

«Mutter, gib mir Almosen, denn ich bin ein Bettler mit der Schale in der Hand, am Tor zurückgehalten.» Als das junge Mädchen die Worte dessen hörte, der die Handschale trug…

Word by Word

• पाणिपात्रस्य: of the hand-bowl (begging bowl)
• पाणिपात्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—पाणौ पात्रम् (पाणिपात्रम्)

• मे: my; to me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन (enclitic)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• अम्ब: O mother/dear lady
• अम्ब: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

• भिक्षाम्: alms
• भिक्षाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• देहि: give
• देहि: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अवरोधतः: from the inner apartments (harem)
• अवरोधतः: Apādāna (अपादान/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवरोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; (अवरोध = अन्तःपुर/स्त्रीगृह)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वचनम्)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• वचनम्: speech; words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of śrutvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पाणिपात्रस्य: of the hand-bowl (beggar)
• पाणिपात्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• बालिका: the girl
• बालिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Agni (Havyavāṭ), speaking within the narrative (contextual, as he ‘spoke’ in the prior verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (ethical teaching embedded in narrative)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Agni, in a beggar-like guise associated with a hand-bowl, calls out ‘Mother, give me alms’ from the doorway; a young maiden hears him, poised between compassion and hesitation.

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Havyavāṭ)
• Bālikā (young maiden, unnamed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna and hospitality are portrayed as dharmic responses even within divine settings—alms-giving signifies auspiciousness and right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The scene occurs at Śiva’s inner precinct/threshold in the Kedāra narrative environment, reinforcing the sanctity of the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bhikṣā/dāna (giving alms) is explicitly requested, highlighting the virtue of charitable giving.