Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

न ददाति कदा दानमेवं कालः प्रवर्तते । लब्धशासनका विप्रा लुप्तस्वाम्या अहर्निशम्

Transliteration

na dadāti kadā dānamevaṃ kālaḥ pravartate | labdhaśāsanakā viprā luptasvāmyā aharniśam

Translation

No one ever gives charity; thus the times proceed. The brāhmaṇas, though possessing learning and discipline, lived day and night bereft of patrons and protection.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• कदा: ever/when
• कदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/कालवाचक-अव्यय; interrogative adverb

• दानम्: gift/charity
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (object)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय; adverb

• कालः: time/era
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (subject)

• प्रवर्तते: proceeds/prevails
• प्रवर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• लब्धशासनकाः: having obtained authority
• लब्धशासनकाः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लब्ध-शासनक (प्रातिपदिक; लभ् धातु → लब्ध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘having obtained rule/authority’ qualifying विप्राः

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• लुप्तस्वाम्याः: with their authority lost
• लुप्तस्वाम्याः: Visheshya-predicate (Predicate qualifier/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लुप्त-स्वाम्य (प्रातिपदिक; लुप् धातु → लुप्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘whose lordship/authority is lost’ (predicate adjective)

• अहर्निशम्: day and night
• अहर्निशम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहर्निशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय; dvandva-समास (अहः+निशा) used adverbially ‘day and night’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: vatsa-addressed interlocutor

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poignant street-side scene: brāhmaṇas with scriptures and staff, disciplined yet hungry, sitting near closed granaries; townspeople pass without giving; the sun sets on a city that has forgotten dāna.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas (viprāḥ)
• Dāna (charity)
• Kāla (the age/time)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Withholding dāna and abandoning support for dharma-teachers is portrayed as a hallmark of societal decline, harming both givers and the community.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dharmāraṇya narrative context continues; this verse focuses on social-ethical decay rather than a specific tīrtha act.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (charity) is the implied prescription—its absence is condemned as a sign of declining dharma.