Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

सत्यं दमस्तपः शौचं सन्तोषोऽनैर्ष्यमार्जवम् । ज्ञानं शमो दया दानमेतत्पात्रस्य लक्षणम्

Transliteration

satyaṃ damastapaḥ śaucaṃ santoṣo'nairṣyamārjavam | jñānaṃ śamo dayā dānametatpātrasya lakṣaṇam

Translation

Truthfulness, self-restraint, austerity (tapas), purity, contentment, freedom from envy, straightforwardness, knowledge, inner calm (śama), compassion, and generosity—these are the marks of a worthy recipient.

Word by Word

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; abstract noun

• दमः: self-control
• दमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; abstract noun

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; abstract noun

• शौचम्: purity
• शौचम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; abstract noun

• सन्तोषः: contentment
• सन्तोषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्तोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; abstract noun

• अनैर्ष्यम्: non-envy
• अनैर्ष्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनैर्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; abstract noun

• आर्जवम्: straightforwardness
• आर्जवम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्जव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; abstract noun

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; abstract noun

• शमः: tranquility
• शमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; abstract noun

• दया: compassion
• दया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; abstract noun

• दानम्: charity
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; abstract noun

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• पात्रस्य: of the worthy recipient
• पात्रस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; genitive

• लक्षणम्: characteristic/mark
• लक्षणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An allegorical tableau: eleven virtues appear as luminous attendants around a calm sage—Truth holding a lamp, Purity with a water-pot, Compassion sheltering the weak—signifying the inner architecture of a supātra.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A recipient’s inner virtues—truth, purity, calm, and compassion—are central to making charity spiritually fruitful.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, in whose māhātmya the standards for dāna are elaborated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A checklist of virtues for identifying a pātra (fit recipient) before offering dāna.