Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

गुर्वर्थाहरणायैव दत्तसर्वस्वदक्षिणम् । त्वां न याचे धनाभावादतोऽन्यत्र व्रजाम्यहम्

Transliteration

gurvarthāharaṇāyaiva dattasarvasvadakṣiṇam | tvāṃ na yāce dhanābhāvādato'nyatra vrajāmyaham

Translation

“I have already given away all my wealth as the sacrificial dakṣiṇā, solely to fulfill my teacher’s purpose. Now, lacking riches, I do not beg from you; therefore I shall go elsewhere.”

Word by Word

• गुरु-अर्थ-आहरणाय: for bringing (wealth) for the guru’s sake
• गुरु-अर्थ-आहरणाय: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + आहरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the purpose of)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारणार्थक (emphatic/only)

• दत्त-सर्वस्व-दक्षिणम्: (a gift) whose fee is all one’s possessions, already given
• दत्त-सर्वस्व-दक्षिणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्त (कृदन्त; √दा दाने) + सर्वस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying an implied object like ‘gift/दानम्’)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• याचे: I beg/ask
• याचे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √याच् (याच् प्रार्थने)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धन-अभावात्: because of lack of wealth
• धन-अभावात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (Discourse link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तस्मात्-अर्थे (therefore/from that)

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• व्रजामि: I go
• व्रजामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (व्रज् गतौ)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Kautsa (implied from context; confirmed in later verses)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kautsa explains calmly that he has already given everything as guru-dakṣiṇā; his palms open in honesty, no pleading; Raghu listens, moved, in a restrained royal posture.

Characters & Entities

• Kautsa
• Guru (teacher)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma prioritizes the guru’s purpose over personal comfort; one gives fully and avoids improper begging.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage belongs to Ayodhyā Māhātmya, situating the virtue of generosity within Ayodhyā’s sacred narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dakṣiṇā (a rightful gift/fee) given in connection with sacred learning and duty to the teacher.