Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

विशेषेण ददौ दानं ब्राह्मणेभ्यो महीपतिः । भूमिशायी प्रशांतात्मा षष्ठकालकृताशनः

Transliteration

viśeṣeṇa dadau dānaṃ brāhmaṇebhyo mahīpatiḥ | bhūmiśāyī praśāṃtātmā ṣaṣṭhakālakṛtāśanaḥ

Translation

Mit besonderer Absicht gab der Herr des Landes den Brāhmaṇas Almosen; auf dem Boden schlafend, im Geist befriedet, nahm er Speise nur beim sechsten Mal zu sich, nach langen Fastenabständen.

Word by Word

• विशेषेण: especially, in particular
• विशेषेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb); तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण प्रयोगः (instrumental-form used adverbially)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धा॒तु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• दानम्: gift, donation
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (singular)

• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: to the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन (plural)

• महीपतिः: the king (lord of the earth)
• महीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī-pati (प्रातिपदिक; mahī + pati)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन (singular)

• भूमिशायी: lying on the ground
• भूमिशायी: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūmi-śāyin (प्रातिपदिक; bhūmi + śāyin)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (qualifying mahīpatiḥ)

• प्रशान्तात्मा: of tranquil mind
• प्रशान्तात्मा: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praśānta-ātman (प्रातिपदिक; praśānta + ātman)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण

• षष्ठकालकृताशनः: eating only at the sixth time (i.e., very restrained)
• षष्ठकालकृताशनः: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṣṭha-kāla-kṛta-aśana (प्रातिपदिक; ṣaṣṭha + kāla + kṛta + aśana)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण; अर्थः—षष्ठे काले कृतम् अशनम् यस्य (one whose eating is done at the sixth time)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king in simple garments gives gifts to seated brāhmaṇas; later he rests on bare earth, serene, with a sparse meal set aside, indicating long fasting intervals.

Characters & Entities

• King (mahīpati)
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is strengthened by combining generosity (dāna) with self-discipline (vrata): charity, simplicity, and restraint purify the mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it highlights dharmic practices within the chapter’s sacred narrative context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna to brāhmaṇas, bhūmiśayana (sleeping on the ground), and a regulated eating discipline described as eating at the “sixth time” (infrequent meals/fasting regimen).