Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

धातूनि सृजता तेन रूप्यं सृष्टं स्वयंभुवा । तेन तद्विहितं श्राद्धे दक्षिणायां प्रतृप्तये

Transliteration

dhātūni sṛjatā tena rūpyaṃ sṛṣṭaṃ svayaṃbhuvā | tena tadvihitaṃ śrāddhe dakṣiṇāyāṃ pratṛptaye

Translation

Als Er die Metalle erschuf, wurde Silber vom Selbstgeborenen (Svayambhū) hervorgebracht. Darum ist es im Śrāddha als dakṣiṇā bestimmt, zur vollkommenen Genugtuung.

Word by Word

• धातूनि: metals, elements
• धातूनि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• सृजता: by (him) creating
• सृजता: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृज् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्तरि कृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया, एकवचन

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया, एकवचन

• रूप्यम्: silver
• रूप्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सृष्टम्: created
• सृष्टम्: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with 'रूप्यम्')

• स्वयंभुवा: by the Self-born (Brahmā)
• स्वयंभुवा: Karana (Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय) + भू (धातु) → स्वयंभू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (स्वयं भवति इति/स्वयमेव उत्पन्नः); पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया, एकवचन

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया, एकवचन

• तद्विहितम्: that which is prescribed/ordained
• तद्विहितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + विहित (वि + धा धातु + क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/तत्-विहितम् = तेन विहितम्/that-ordained); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्राद्धे: in śrāddha
• श्राद्धे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• दक्षिणायाम्: as the dakṣiṇā (gift/fee)
• दक्षिणायाम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी, एकवचन

• प्रतृप्तये: for full satisfaction
• प्रतृप्तये: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + तृप् (धातु) + क्तिन् → प्रतृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे चतुर्थी (4th case/Dative), एकवचन (purpose: 'for satisfaction')

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa receives shining silver dakṣiṇā after śrāddha; the donor offers with humility; a subtle cosmic vignette shows Svayambhū creating metals, with silver emerging luminous.

Characters & Entities

• Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• Rūpya (silver)
• Dakṣiṇā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity given with sacred intent completes the rite; dakṣiṇā is not an add-on but a dharmic fulfillment of śrāddha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named here; the verse is a normative statement within the Tīrthamāhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes silver as an appropriate dakṣiṇā in śrāddha for ensuring proper satisfaction/completion.