Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

सुविनीतं शीलयुतं तथा सोपस्करं हयम् । भूषयित्वा च विप्राय दद्याद्दक्षिणया सह

Transliteration

suvinītaṃ śīlayutaṃ tathā sopaskaraṃ hayam | bhūṣayitvā ca viprāya dadyāddakṣiṇayā saha

Translation

Man soll ein gut abgerichtetes Pferd, von guter Gesinnung und mit Zaumzeug versehen, schmücken und es einem Brāhmaṇa zusammen mit einer angemessenen Dakṣiṇā darreichen.

Word by Word

• सुविनीतम्: well-trained
• सुविनीतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुविनीत (कृदन्त; सु + वि + नी धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (हयम्)

• शीलयुतम्: endowed with good conduct
• शीलयुतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीलयुत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; शील + युत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थे (adverb: likewise)

• सोपस्करम्: with equipment
• सोपस्करम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सोपस्कर (प्रातिपदिक; स + उपस्कर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• हयम्: a horse
• हयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• भूषयित्वा: having adorned
• भूषयित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) = ‘having adorned’

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Connector/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विप्राय: to a brāhmaṇa
• विप्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (recipient)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दक्षिणया: with a fee/donation (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सहार्थे करण (instrumental with saha)

• सह: together with
• सह: Avyaya (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable: with)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cakratīrtha (contextual)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas addressed as ‘dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ’

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at Dvārakā prepares a decorated, bridled horse with saddle and ornaments; a brāhmaṇa stands receiving the gift with ritual honor and dakṣiṇā near a sacred waterbody/ghāṭa.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dāna is completed by propriety: worthy gifts, respectful presentation, and dakṣiṇā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader glorification belongs to Dvārakā’s Cakratīrtha-centered adhyāya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Donate an adorned, equipped, well-trained horse to a brāhmaṇa, along with dakṣiṇā.