Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । सर्वेषामेव दानानां कन्यादानं विशिष्यते । यो दद्यात्परया भक्त्याभिगम्य तनयां निजाम्

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | sarveṣāmeva dānānāṃ kanyādānaṃ viśiṣyate | yo dadyātparayā bhaktyābhigamya tanayāṃ nijām

Translation

Īśvara dit : Parmi toutes les formes de charité, le don d'une jeune fille en mariage (kanyādāna) est prééminent. Quiconque, s'approchant avec une dévotion suprême, donne sa propre fille, atteint le mérite le plus élevé.

Word by Word

• īśvaraḥ: the Lord
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• sarveṣām: of all
• sarveṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण

• eva: indeed
• eva: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (indeed/only)

• dānānām: of gifts / charities
• dānānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• kanyādānam: the gift of a daughter (kanyā-dāna)
• kanyādānam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कन्यायाः दानम्)

• viśiṣyate: is distinguished / excels
• viśiṣyate: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-śiṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• yaḥ: who (he who)
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• dadyāt: should give
• dadyāt: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• parayā: with supreme
• parayā: Instrument (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• abhigamya: having approached
• abhigamya: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: abhi-gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having approached’

• tanayām: daughter
• tanayām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• nijām: one’s own
• nijām: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (tanayām)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-khaṇḍa (Narmadā tīrtha sphere)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: the questioner (unnamed in the excerpt)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Īśvara speaks authoritatively, blessing the concept of kanyādāna as supreme; the devotee listens with reverence; symbolic imagery of a father offering his daughter’s hand as an oblation before sacred fire.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

That kanyādāna, performed with pure devotion and proper approach, is praised as the highest form of charitable gift in Purāṇic dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it appears within the Revākhaṇḍa context (connected with the Revā/Narmadā sacred region).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is to perform kanyādāna—giving one’s daughter in marriage—done with ‘parā bhakti’ and proper ceremonial approach.