Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

तावद्दानं तु युष्माकं परिपन्थी न कश्चन । राजा वा राजतुल्यो वा लोकपालैरनुत्तमम्

Transliteration

tāvaddānaṃ tu yuṣmākaṃ paripanthī na kaścana | rājā vā rājatulyo vā lokapālairanuttamam

Translation

Tant que votre don demeure inviolé, nul ne pourra entraver votre prospérité : ni roi, ni égal d’un roi, ni même les incomparables gardiens des mondes.

Word by Word

• तावत्: for that long
• तावत्: Temporal marker (कालवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Form: अव्यय; यावत्-तावत् सम्बन्धे 'so long/for that long'

• दानम्: the donation
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• युष्माकम्: of you
• युष्माकम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; 'of you (pl.)'

• परिपन्थी: an adversary/obstructor
• परिपन्थी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिपन्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; 'obstructor/enemy'

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय; 'not'

• कश्चन: anyone
• कश्चन: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चन (निपात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थ-सर्वनाम 'anyone'

• राजा: a king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Connector (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय; 'or'

• राजतुल्यः: one equal to a king
• राजतुल्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज (प्रातिपदिक) + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (राज्ञा तुल्यः)

• वा: or
• वा: Connector (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय

• लोकपालैः: by/with the world-guardians
• लोकपालैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकपाल (प्रातिपदिक; लोक + पाल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; करण/सहकारक-भावे 'by/with the guardians of the worlds'

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; (अर्थतः) 'unsurpassed'—वाक्ये विशेषणरूपेण

Speaker

Vyāsa (deduced: Dharma-upadeśa addressed to Yudhiṣṭhira in a Mahābhārata-framed discourse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic scene: a land-grant charter radiates protective light; kings and officials stand at a respectful distance; above, the Lokapālas (guardians) appear as celestial witnesses, indicating dharma’s supremacy.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira (implied by context of the adhyāya)
• Lokapālas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Merit remains protected and unobstructed when one’s charity is preserved and not violated.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Revā (Narmadā) sacred region is the setting, though this verse itself emphasizes dharma of dāna rather than a single named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A dharmic principle is stated: ensure that a given gift (especially grants) remains intact and unopposed.