Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

ये दरिद्रा धनैर्हीनास्तीर्थानुगमनेरताः । तेषां यज्ञफलावाप्तिर्विनापि धनसंचयैः

Transliteration

ye daridrā dhanairhīnāstīrthānugamaneratāḥ | teṣāṃ yajñaphalāvāptirvināpi dhanasaṃcayaiḥ

Translation

Those who are poor and lacking in wealth, yet devoted to following the pilgrimage path to the tīrthas—attain the fruits of yajña even without any accumulation of riches.

Word by Word

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• दरिद्राः: poor people
• दरिद्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• धनैः: by/with wealth
• धनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• हीनाः: deprived (of)
• हीनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying दरिद्राः)

• तीर्थ: pilgrimage-place
• तीर्थ: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• अनुगमने: in going to a pilgrimage-place
• अनुगमने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुगमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तीर्थ-अनुगमन (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष: 'following/going to a tīrtha')

• रताः: engaged, devoted
• रताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (ye/दरिद्राः)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• यज्ञ: sacrifice
• यज्ञ: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• फल: fruit, result
• फल: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासमध्यपद (in compound)

• अवाप्तिः: attainment
• अवाप्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवाप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; यज्ञ-फल-अवाप्ति (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'attainment of the fruit of sacrifice')

• विना: without
• विना: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपात (preposition-like particle)

• अपि: even
• अपि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: 'even/also')

• धन: wealth
• धन: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• संचयैः: by accumulations (stores)
• संचयैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संचय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; धन-संचय (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'accumulation of wealth')

Speaker

Īśvarī (Pārvatī) or a Devī addressed as 'Īśvari' (contextual narrator within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual) / any tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poor pilgrim with a small bundle walks barefoot toward a sacred shore, face radiant with faith; wealthy pilgrims pass, yet the tīrtha’s light falls equally on him; a subtle yajña-fire motif appears in the sky to signify yajña-phala.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual merit is not limited by poverty; sincere pilgrimage can bestow the same fruits as grand sacrifices.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Tīrtha pilgrimage in general, taught within the Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Undertake tīrtha-anugamana (pilgrimage) with devotion; wealth is not a prerequisite for attaining great merit.