Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

धनं प्राप्य यतिर्लोके मौनं ज्ञानं च नाभ्यसेत् । उपभोगं तु दानेन जीवितं ब्रह्मचर्यया

Transliteration

dhanaṃ prāpya yatirloke maunaṃ jñānaṃ ca nābhyaset | upabhogaṃ tu dānena jīvitaṃ brahmacaryayā

Translation

Wenn ein Asket, nachdem er in der Welt Reichtum erlangt hat, weder heiliges Schweigen noch Erkenntnis übt, so soll er wenigstens den Genuss durch Spenden heiligen und sein Leben durch Brahmacarya (Enthaltsamkeit) bewahren.

Word by Word

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having obtained)

• यतिः: an ascetic
• यतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• मौनम्: silence
• मौनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थकः (and)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपातः

• अभ्यसेत्: should practice
• अभ्यसेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + अस् (धातु; अभ्यासे)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• उपभोगम्: enjoyment/consumption
• उपभोगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपभोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (but/indeed)

• दानेन: by giving/through charity
• दानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करणार्थे (by means of)

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मचर्यया: by celibacy/continence
• ब्रह्मचर्यया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करणार्थे (by means of)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya didactic narration context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (standard frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-ascetic at Prabhāsa, holding a kamaṇḍalu and japa-mālā, offers coins/food to the needy while maintaining a composed, restrained posture; the sea-temple horizon suggests Somnātha/Prabhāsa sanctity.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wealth without inner discipline is spiritually risky; charity and continence are presented as purifying safeguards.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching appears within the Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya, aligning personal discipline with the sanctity of the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Practice mauna and jñāna; failing that, perform dāna and maintain brahmacarya.