Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 171

Devanagari script

कौपीनाच्छादनं छत्रं पादुके च कमण्डलुम् । दत्त्वा संन्यासिनां याति सप्त कल्पानि तत्फलम्

Transliteration

kaupīnācchādanaṃ chatraṃ pāduke ca kamaṇḍalum | dattvā saṃnyāsināṃ yāti sapta kalpāni tatphalam

Translation

Wer den Entsagenden (Saṃnyāsins) Kaupīna (Lendentuch) und Bedeckung, einen Schirm, Sandalen und ein Kamaṇḍalu (Wassergefäß) schenkt, erlangt die Frucht dieser Gabe für sieben Kalpas.

Word by Word

• कौपीन-आच्छादनम्: a loincloth covering
• कौपीन-आच्छादनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौपीन (प्रातिपदिक) + आच्छादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कौपीनस्य आच्छादनम् = loincloth covering)

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

• पादुके: a pair of sandals
• पादुके: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादुका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), द्विवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• कमण्डलुम्: a water-pot
• कमण्डलुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमण्डलु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (Gerundial/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकाल (having given)

• संन्यासिनाम्: to renunciants
• संन्यासिनाम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संन्यासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध) बहुवचन (or दत्तव्य-सम्प्रदानार्थे षष्ठी); recipients

• याति: attains/goes
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण; नपुंसक-बहुवचन-विशेषण (qualifying कल्पानि)

• कल्पानि: kalpas (aeons)
• कल्पानि: Karma (Extent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (or नपुंसक in some usage; here neuter plural form), द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म) बहुवचन; कालपरिमाण

• तत्-फलम्: that result
• तत्-फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (that fruit/result)

Speaker

Pitṛs (ancestral beings)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in Dvārakā respectfully offers a bundle of simple ascetic requisites—loincloth, cloth covering, umbrella, sandals, and a water-pot—to a serene saṃnyāsin near a temple approach, with the sea-wind and flags in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Saṃnyāsins
• Kamaṇḍalu
• Kalpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supporting renunciants with essential items is exalted as a high dharmic charity whose merit endures across vast cosmic time.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse focuses on dāna to saṃnyāsins; within this adhyāya it remains part of Dvārakā Māhātmya’s broader praise of Dvārakā-centered merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna to saṃnyāsins: gifting kaupīna/garments, umbrella, sandals, and kamaṇḍalu as prescribed charitable support.