Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

माघमासे विशेषेण तिलदानं करोति यः । तिलसंख्यानि वर्षाणि स्वर्गे तिष्ठति मानवः

Transliteration

māghamāse viśeṣeṇa tiladānaṃ karoti yaḥ | tilasaṃkhyāni varṣāṇi svarge tiṣṭhati mānavaḥ

Translation

Whoever, especially in the month of Māgha, gives sesame in charity, dwells in heaven for as many years as the number of sesame seeds offered.

Word by Word

• माघ-मासे: in the month of Māgha
• माघ-मासे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणत्वेन (adverbial instrumental)

• तिल-दानम्: gift of sesame
• तिल-दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: तिलस्य दानम्

• करोति: does; performs
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present, 3rd person, Singular; परस्मैपद

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

• तिल-संख्यानि: as many as sesame(-seeds) (in number)
• तिल-संख्यानि: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Plural; ‘वर्षाणि’ इति विशेषणम्; तिलानां संख्या इव (तत्पुरुष)

• वर्षाणि: years
• वर्षाणि: Karma (Extent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तिष्ठति: stays; remains
• तिष्ठति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present, 3rd person, Singular

• मानवः: a man; human
• मानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Deductive: likely Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating dharma and tīrtha-fruit in Arbuda Khaṇḍa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gomatī-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A donor offers a bowl of black sesame to a brāhmaṇa near the river after Māgha snāna; counting-like motif of sesame transforming into stars/years in svarga.

Characters & Entities

• Māgha (month)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seasonal sacred timing matters in Purāṇic dharma: Māgha amplifies the merit of charity, especially tiladāna.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Arbuda sacred landscape is in view; the verse emphasizes Māgha-dharma alongside local tīrtha praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tiladāna—donating sesame seeds—performed especially during Māgha.