Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

पादुकोपानहौ छत्रं वस्त्रकम्बलवाजिनः । यो दत्ते विप्रमुख्याय तस्य तत्कोटिसंमितम्

Transliteration

pādukopānahau chatraṃ vastrakambalavājinaḥ | yo datte vipramukhyāya tasya tatkoṭisaṃmitam

Translation

Quiconque donne à un brāhmaṇa éminent sandales et chaussures, un parasol, des vêtements, des couvertures ou un cheval, son mérite est compté par koṭis, en crores.

Word by Word

• पादुक: sandals
• पादुक: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादुका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (contextually object-list); द्विवचन/बहुवचन-समुच्चयार्थ (as item in list)

• उपानहौ: shoes
• उपानहौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपानह् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; द्विवचन (dual: “a pair of shoes”)

• छत्रम्: umbrella
• छत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• वस्त्रकम्बलवाजिनः: garments, blankets, and horses
• वस्त्रकम्बलवाजिनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कम्बल (प्रातिपदिक) + वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (collective list: garments, blankets, horses)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• दत्ते: gives
• दत्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु; √दा दाने)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/Indicative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (दत्ते)

• विप्रमुख्याय: to a foremost Brahmin
• विप्रमुख्याय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्रमुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विप्राणां मुख्यः); पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th); एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th); एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies कोटिसंमितम्)

• कोटिसंमितम्: equal to a crore (in merit/value)
• कोटिसंमितम्: Karma (Predicate complement/कर्म-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + संमित (कृदन्त; √मा माने + सम् + क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कोट्या संमितम् = “measured by a crore”); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Soma-tīrtha (within Revā-khaṇḍa)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-donor presents sandals, an umbrella, folded garments, a blanket, and a bridled horse to an honored brāhmaṇa near a riverbank shrine; attendants witness the formal handover with water-libation gesture.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Dāna (charity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supporting the learned and virtuous through practical gifts is a powerful form of dharma, especially when done in a tīrtha context.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage praises Somatīrtha; the dāna described is understood as performed there for multiplied merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Give useful items—footwear, umbrella, clothing, blankets, and even a horse—to a worthy brāhmaṇa (vipra-mukhya).