Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

चतुःप्रकारं त्रिविधं त्रिनाशं दानमुच्यते । इत्येकं श्लोकमाभाष्य खे वाणी विरराम ह

Transliteration

catuḥprakāraṃ trividhaṃ trināśaṃ dānamucyate | ityekaṃ ślokamābhāṣya khe vāṇī virarāma ha

Translation

“Dāna is said to be of four kinds, threefold, and marked by three ‘failures’ that destroy its merit.” Having spoken this one verse, the celestial voice fell silent.

Word by Word

• चतुःप्रकारम्: of four kinds
• चतुःप्रकारम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + प्रकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (चत्वारः प्रकाराः यस्य)

• त्रिविधम्: threefold
• त्रिविधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयो विधाः यस्य)

• त्रिनाशम्: having three destructions/cessations
• त्रिनाशम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयो नाशाः यस्य)

• दानम्: charity/giving
• दानम्: Karta (Grammatical subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उच्यते: is said/is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Discourse marker (उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरणसमाप्त्यर्थक (thus)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (श्लोकम्)

• श्लोकम्: verse
• श्लोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आभाष्य: having uttered/spoken
• आभाष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + भाष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (having spoken)

• खे: in the sky
• खे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• वाणी: the voice
• वाणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• विरराम: ceased/stopped
• विरराम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्काल), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed/just (emphatic)
• ह: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पदपूरण/स्मरणार्थक (expletive particle)

Speaker

Khe-vāṇī (celestial voice)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sky-voice completes the teaching; the radiance withdraws, leaving the king and assembly in thoughtful silence, as if holding a riddle-like verse.

Characters & Entities

• Khe-vāṇī (voice in the sky)
• Dāna (charity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity must be performed with discernment: it has recognized types and can be spiritually ‘destroyed’ by specific faults.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative remains within a tīrtha setting; the verse itself is a universal dharma-teaching on dāna.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Guidance for dāna: know its classifications (four/three) and avoid the three merit-destroying factors (tri-nāśa).