Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

वेदानुयोगाद्यो दद्याद्ब्राह्मणाय प्रतिग्रहम् । स पूर्वं नरकं याति ब्राह्मणस्तदनन्तरम्

Transliteration

vedānuyogādyo dadyādbrāhmaṇāya pratigraham | sa pūrvaṃ narakaṃ yāti brāhmaṇastadanantaram

Translation

Wer einem Brāhmaṇa eine Gabe als Entgelt gibt, das an den Gebrauch der Veda gebunden ist (als Handel für vedischen Dienst), der geht zuerst in die Hölle; der Brāhmaṇa, der sie annimmt, folgt danach.

Word by Word

• वेदानुयोगात्: because of (in connection with) Vedic recitation/teaching
• वेदानुयोगात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (हेतु/अपादान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वेदस्य अनुयोगः) (masculine, ablative, singular)

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (relative pronoun; masculine, nominative, singular)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriyā (Predicate action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (optative, 3rd person singular)

• ब्राह्मणाय: to a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणाय: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (masculine, dative, singular)

• प्रतिग्रहम्: a fee/gift (acceptance)
• प्रतिग्रहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (masculine, accusative, singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (demonstrative pronoun; masculine, nominative, singular)

• पूर्वम्: first
• पूर्वम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: first/before)

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Gati/Karma (Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/गति), एकवचन (neuter, accusative, singular)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriyā (Predicate action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (present, 3rd person singular)

• ब्राह्मणः: the Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular)

• तदनन्तरम्: thereafter
• तदनन्तरम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb: thereafter)

Speaker

Unknown (within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya dialogue; addressed to ‘Devi’)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A patron offers a pouch of coins labeled as payment for Vedic recitation; a brāhmaṇa reaches to accept; between them a dark path opens downward symbolizing naraka, while a sage points in warning.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Both the payer and the receiver are blamed when sacred services become a commercial contract rather than dharmic support.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra is the textual setting; the warning supports the purity expected in a tīrtha culture.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Guidance about dāna: do not frame gifts as a price for Vedic engagement; avoid transactional ‘fees’ for sacred acts.