Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 111

Devanagari script

वेदान्तगाय दातव्या श्रोत्रियाय कुटुम्बिने । वेदान्तगसुते देया श्रोत्रिये गृहपालके

Transliteration

vedāntagāya dātavyā śrotriyāya kuṭumbine | vedāntagasute deyā śrotriye gṛhapālake

Translation

The gift (of the tiladhenu rite) should be given to a Vedāntin who knows the Veda—one who is a qualified śrotriya, a householder with a family. It may also be given to a Vedāntin’s son, provided he too is a śrotriya and a responsible keeper of the household.

Word by Word

• vedānta-gāya: to one versed in Vedānta
• vedānta-gāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedānta+ga (गम् धातु/ग प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: वेदान्तग = वेदान्तं गतः/वेदान्ते स्थितः (one versed in Vedānta)

• dātavyā: should be given
• dātavyā: Kriya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (gerundive: 'is to be given')

• śrotriyāya: to a śrotriya (Vedic scholar)
• śrotriyāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrotriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; वेदाध्यायी (Vedic scholar)

• kuṭumbine: to a householder
• kuṭumbine: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṭumbin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; 'कुटुम्बिन्' = गृहस्थ/परिवारयुक्त (householder)

• vedānta-ga-sute: to the son of a Vedānta-knower
• vedānta-ga-sute: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedānta+ga+suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: वेदान्तगसुत = वेदान्तगस्य सुतः (son of one versed in Vedānta)

• deyā: should be given
• deyā: Kriya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु) + ya (यत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्/देय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (gerundive: 'is to be given')

• śrotriye: to a śrotriya
• śrotriye: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrotriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण) वा चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; प्रसङ्गे दान-सम्प्रदानार्थे चतुर्थी (to a śrotriya)

• gṛha-pālake: to a protector of the household
• gṛha-pālake: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha+pālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी वा चतुर्थी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: गृहपालक = गृहं पालयति (house-protector/householder)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced from immediate narrative context in Revā Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-khaṇḍa dāna context (tiladhenu rite implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A venerable Vedāntin śrotriya householder sits with family and sacred texts; the donor offers the ritual gift with folded hands, while the son—also trained—stands respectfully, indicating lineage continuity.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity bears full merit when offered to a worthy recipient—one grounded in Vedic learning and household responsibility.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage belongs to the Cakratīrtha praise within the Revā (Narmadā) region, though this verse focuses on dāna eligibility.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes the proper recipient (pātra) for the tiladhenu-related gift: a śrotriya Vedāntin (or his qualified son).