Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

देशे काले च पात्रे च शुद्धेन मनसा तथा । न्यायार्जितं च यो दद्याद्यौवने स तदश्नुते

Transliteration

deśe kāle ca pātre ca śuddhena manasā tathā | nyāyārjitaṃ ca yo dadyādyauvane sa tadaśnute

Translation

Wer mit reinem Sinn, am rechten Ort und zur rechten Zeit, einem würdigen Empfänger gibt und aus gerecht erworbenem Besitz—der genießt die Frucht dieser Gabe schon in der Jugend.

Word by Word

• देशे: in (proper) place
• देशे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• काले: in (proper) time
• काले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

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

• पात्रे: in/with a worthy recipient
• पात्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

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

• शुद्धेन: with pure
• शुद्धेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; मनस्-विशेषण

• मनसा: mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण

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

• न्यायार्जितम्: rightly earned
• न्यायार्जितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्याय (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्जित (कृदन्त; √अर्ज् धातु)
• Form: तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/उपपदसमास (न्यायेन अर्जितम्), भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (धन/द्रव्य)-विशेषण

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

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

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/संभावना-आज्ञा), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यौवने: in youth
• यौवने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण (time/state)

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

• तत्: that (result/fruit)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अश्नुते: enjoys/experiences
• अश्नुते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (contextual continuity)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene donor at Prabhāsa offers gifts with folded hands, calm face, and simple attire; a priestly recipient of good conduct accepts; a sun motif suggests ‘youth’ and timely fruition; the shrine stands luminous, indicating right place and time.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right giving requires purity of mind, right context, worthy recipients, and honestly earned resources—then merit ripens swiftly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya, reinforcing that pilgrimage merit is strengthened by dharmic generosity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The classic rule of deśa–kāla–pātra with śuddha-manas and nyāyārjita dravya for effective dāna.