Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

सावित्रीं ब्रह्मणे प्रादाल्लक्ष्मीं विष्णोर्महात्मनः । कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य स ईजे दक्षिणावता

Transliteration

sāvitrīṃ brahmaṇe prādāllakṣmīṃ viṣṇormahātmanaḥ | kasyacittvatha kālasya sa īje dakṣiṇāvatā

Translation

He gave Sāvitrī to Brahmā, and Lakṣmī to great-souled Viṣṇu. After some time had passed, he performed a sacrifice, abundant in dakṣiṇā—priestly fees and sacred gifts.

Word by Word

• सावित्रीम्: Sāvitrī
• सावित्रीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणे: to Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• प्रादात्: gave
• प्रादात्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Imperfective past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• लक्ष्मीम्: Lakṣmī
• लक्ष्मीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विष्णोः: to/for Viṣṇu; of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sampradana/Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled (one)
• महात्मनः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् आत्मा यस्य)

• कस्यचित्: of some
• कस्यचित्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Sequencing)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/आरम्भ-अव्यय (then/now)

• कालस्य: of time
• कालस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ईजे: performed sacrifice; worshipped
• ईजे: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• दक्षिणावता: with sacrificial fees (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणावता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya; traditionally Sūta relating the account)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (sectional setting)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied audience within Prabhāsa-māhātmya (not explicit in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A donor-figure offers Sāvitrī to Brahmā and Lakṣmī to Viṣṇu; then a grand yajña begins with abundant dakṣiṇā—piles of gold, cows, cloth—priests chanting around a blazing altar.

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī
• Brahmā
• Lakṣmī
• Viṣṇu
• Dakṣiṇā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through yajña and generous dakṣiṇā—sacrifice joined with charity sustains cosmic and social order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter is situated in the Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, framing such sacrificial narratives as part of Prabhāsa’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of yajña accompanied by dakṣiṇā—proper gifts/fees to officiants and charitable giving.