Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

यानीह दत्तानि पुनर्धनानि दानानि धर्मार्थयशस्कराणि । औदार्यतो विप्रनिवेदितानि को नाम साधुः पुनराददीत

Transliteration

yānīha dattāni punardhanāni dānāni dharmārthayaśaskarāṇi | audāryato vipraniveditāni ko nāma sādhuḥ punarādadīta

Translation

¿Quién, siendo verdaderamente virtuoso, volvería a tomar las riquezas y dones aquí otorgados—donaciones que conceden dharma, prosperidad y buena fama—ofrecidos con generosidad y dedicados a los brāhmaṇas?

Word by Word

• यानि: which (things)
• यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• इह: here/in this world
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक adverb)

• दत्तानि: given
• दत्तानि: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्त (कृदन्त; दा धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (धनानि/दानानि)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• धनानि: wealths/possessions
• धनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• दानानि: gifts/charities
• दानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक); दा (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; धनानि इति समानाधिकरण

• धर्म: dharma
• धर्म: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्ग

• अर्थ: wealth/purpose
• अर्थ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्ग

• यशः: fame
• यशः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्ग

• कराणि: producing (benefits)
• कराणि: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (कर = making/producing) समासान्तपद (धर्मार्थयशस्कराणि = producing dharma, artha, fame)

• औदार्यतः: out of generosity
• औदार्यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: औदार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावार्थे तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb): औदार्यतः = out of generosity

• विप्र: to/for a Brahmin
• विप्र: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्ग

• निवेदितानि: offered/presented
• निवेदितानि: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-विद् (धातु) + त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; नि-उपसर्ग; विशेषणम् (दानानि)

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• नाम: indeed/ever
• नाम: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle; emphasis)

• साधुः: a good man
• साधुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• आददीत: should take back
• आददीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dignified donor, after gifting wealth and land, turns away from temptation; behind him, personified Dharma and Yaśas stand radiant, while a shadowy figure of Lobha tries to pull the gift back but is restrained by conscience.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dāna is irreversible; reclaiming what is donated—especially what is dedicated to brāhmaṇas and dharma—destroys merit and virtue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse teaches a universal standard of dāna-dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes steadfastness in dāna: once a gift is formally offered (nivedita), it should not be taken back.