Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

उदकं चात्र दानं च दद्यादभयमेव च । अन्नदानात्परं दानं न भूतं न भविष्यति

Transliteration

udakaṃ cātra dānaṃ ca dadyādabhayameva ca | annadānātparaṃ dānaṃ na bhūtaṃ na bhaviṣyati

Translation

Ici, qu’on donne l’eau, des présents, et aussi l’intrépidité (abhaya). Nulle aumône plus haute que le don de nourriture n’a existé, ni n’existera.

Word by Word

• उदकम्: water
• उदकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• दानम्: a gift/charity
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• दद्याद्: should give
• दद्याद्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अभयम्: fearlessness/safety
• अभयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Niyamaka (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed/only)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• अन्नदानात्: than the gift of food
• अन्नदानात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्नदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अन्नस्य दानम्)

• परम्: superior
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तुलनार्थे (higher/superior)

• दानम्: gift
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (not)

• भूतम्: (has) been (in the past)
• भूतम्: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal qualifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूत (past/been)

• न: nor
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (nor)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Śiva (Deveśa) speaking to King Uttānapāda (deduced from Adhyāya 50 context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha (local ‘atra’ context)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred riverbank charity pavilion: water pots lined up, food being served, and a protector figure offering refuge—symbolizing abhaya-dāna; above, a radiant inscription-like aura declares anna-dāna supreme.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest dharma is to preserve life and dignity—food, water, and protection are the pinnacle of giving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tirtha is named; the instruction is framed within the Revā Khaṇḍa’s dharma-teaching atmosphere.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Udaka-dāna (water), general dāna, and abhaya-dāna (granting safety/protection), with anna-dāna declared supreme.