Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

सवस्त्रं ससुवर्ण च कलशं प्रति मान्वितम् । दत्त्वाचार्याय महते सदाचाररताय च । ब्राह्मणान्भोजयेद्भक्त्या यथाशक्त्याभिपूज्य च

Transliteration

savastraṃ sasuvarṇa ca kalaśaṃ prati mānvitam | dattvācāryāya mahate sadācāraratāya ca | brāhmaṇānbhojayedbhaktyā yathāśaktyābhipūjya ca

Translation

Having given to the venerable teacher—devoted to right conduct—a kalaśa together with garments and gold, and accompanied by an image, one should then feed the Brahmins with devotion and honour them according to one’s capacity.

Word by Word

• स-वस्त्रम्: together with cloth
• स-वस्त्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासवत् प्रयोग (सह-अर्थे ‘स’ उपपद) — “वस्त्रेण सह”; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — qualifying ‘कलशम्’

• स-सुवर्णम्: together with gold
• स-सुवर्णम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपपद) + सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासवत् (सह-अर्थे) — “सुवर्णेन सह”; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — qualifying ‘कलशम्’

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

• कलशम्: a pot (ritual vessel)
• कलशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — accusative singular

• प्रतिमान्वितम्: accompanied by an image
• प्रतिमान्वितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिमा + अन्वित (√इ/√अन्वि, क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (“प्रतिमया अन्वितम्” = accompanied by an image); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — qualifying ‘कलशम्’

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त) — absolutive/gerund “having given”

• आचार्याय: to the teacher (ācārya)
• आचार्याय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — dative singular

• महते: great
• महते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन — qualifying ‘आचार्याय’

• सदाचार-रताय: devoted to good conduct
• सदाचार-रताय: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदाचार + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे कर्मधारयवत् (“सदाचारे रतः” = devoted to good conduct); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन — qualifying ‘आचार्याय’

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

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन — accusative plural

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु) [णिच् causative: भोजय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — “should feed”

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन — instrumental singular

• यथा-शक्त्या: according to one’s ability
• यथा-शक्त्या: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास — “शक्त्यानुसारम्”; स्त्रीलिङ्ग तृतीया एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverbial instrumental)

• अभिपूज्य: having duly honored
• अभिपूज्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त) — absolutive/gerund “having honored/worshipped”

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

Speaker

Unknown (contextual narrator/instructor within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Concluding ceremony: an ācārya receives a cloth-wrapped kalaśa with gold and a small image; Brahmins are seated for a devotional feast; the donor bows respectfully.

Characters & Entities

• Ācārya (preceptor)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Pratimā
• Kalaśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The fruit of a vow is safeguarded by gratitude—honouring the teacher and supporting the Brahmins through respectful giving and feeding.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular sacred place is mentioned; the emphasis is on udyāpana charity and hospitality.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Donate a kalaśa with cloth and gold (with an image), give it to a worthy ācārya, and feed and honour Brahmins as able.