Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

तेनैव दत्ता पृथिवी सशैलवनकानना । सपत्तनपुरा सर्वा काञ्चनं यः प्रयच्छति

Transliteration

tenaiva dattā pṛthivī saśailavanakānanā | sapattanapurā sarvā kāñcanaṃ yaḥ prayacchati

Translation

By that very act, the whole earth is as though gifted—together with its mountains, forests, and groves, with all its towns and cities—by the one who bestows gold.

Word by Word

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• दत्ता: given (donated)
• दत्ता: Kriya (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP, क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पृथिवी’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (given)

• पृथिवी: the earth
• पृथिवी: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सशैलवनकानना: together with mountains, forests, and groves
• सशैलवनकानना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + शैल + वन + कानन (प्रातिपदिक; घटक: स(सह) + शैल + वन + कानन)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पृथिवी’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; ‘स’ उपसर्गवत् अव्ययीभाव-प्रायः (with) + तत्पुरुष-समाहार (with mountains, forests, groves)

• सपत्तनपुरा: with ports/towns and cities
• सपत्तनपुरा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + पत्तन + पुर (प्रातिपदिक; घटक: स(सह) + पत्तन + पुर)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पृथिवी’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; ‘स’ (with) + (towns and cities)

• सर्वा: entire, whole
• सर्वा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; ‘पृथिवी’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• काञ्चनम्: gold
• काञ्चनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रयच्छति: gives, bestows
• प्रयच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Svarṇabindu (contextual)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahīpati (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary scene: a donor offers a piece of gold, while behind him the whole earth—mountains, forests, cities—appears as if being offered in miniature to the brāhmaṇa; cosmic scale implied.

Characters & Entities

• Earth (pṛthivī)
• Mountains (śaila)
• Forests (vana)
• Cities (pura)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A single noble gift, when made with dharmic intent, can be spiritually equivalent to the greatest of donations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Revā-khaṇḍa tīrtha setting is implied; the verse magnifies the merit of gold-dāna performed there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The act prescribed is kāñcana-dāna (gifting gold), praised as supremely meritorious.