Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

बालत्वेऽपि च सोऽश्नाति यद्दत्तं दंभकारणात् । मन्युना मंतुना चैव तथैवार्थस्य कारणात्

Transliteration

bālatve'pi ca so'śnāti yaddattaṃ daṃbhakāraṇāt | manyunā maṃtunā caiva tathaivārthasya kāraṇāt

Translation

Selbst in der Kindheit kostet er die Frucht dessen, was er aus Prahlerei gab—sei es aus Groll, aus berechnendem Sinn, oder gar um des Gewinnes willen.

Word by Word

• बालत्वे: in childhood
• बालत्वे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of state)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अपि = even/also

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अश्नाति: eats/consumes (experiences)
• अश्नाति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• दत्तम्: given (as a gift)
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; यत्-विशेषण

• दंभकारणात्: from the motive of ostentation
• दंभकारणात्: Apadana (Cause/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दंभ (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (daṃbhasya kāraṇam), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ अपादान (cause)

• मन्युना: with anger
• मन्युना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु (instrumental of motive)

• मंतुना: with (self-)conceit/pride
• मंतुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मंतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण/हेतु (instrumental of motive)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• अर्थस्य: of wealth/for gain
• अर्थस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• कारणात्: from the motive/cause
• कारणात्: Apadana (Cause/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेतौ अपादान (cause)

Speaker

Deductive (Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa reporting a teaching)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (continuing address-context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A child in a wealthy home enjoys luxuries labeled as ‘fruit of past charity,’ while in the background a donor performs ostentatious giving with drums and banners; shadowy figures of Dambha and Lobha hover, indicating motive-taint.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Showy or self-interested giving yields quick, limited results rather than deep spiritual elevation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This ethical instruction is delivered within the Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Purification of intention in dāna—avoid ostentation, resentment, manipulation, and profit-seeking.