Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

अपात्रे विदुषा किंचिन्न देयं भूतिमिच्छता । यतोऽसौ सर्वभूतानि दधाति धरणी किल

Transliteration

apātre viduṣā kiṃcinna deyaṃ bhūtimicchatā | yato'sau sarvabhūtāni dadhāti dharaṇī kila

Translation

Le sage qui recherche la vraie prospérité ne doit rien donner à l’indigne ; car la Terre, en vérité, soutient tous les êtres.

Word by Word

• अपात्रे: in/unto an unworthy recipient
• अपात्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ (नञ्-प्रत्यय) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वपद (unworthy person/place)

• विदुषा: by a wise man
• विदुषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• किंचित्: anything (even a little)
• किंचित्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• देयम्: should be given
• देयम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय

• भूतिम्: prosperity
• भूतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• इच्छता: desiring
• इच्छता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त; विदुषा इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• यतः: because
• यतः: Cause marker (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (because/for)

• असौ: that (she)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; धरणी इत्यस्य निर्देशः

• सर्वभूतानि: all beings
• सर्वभूतानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सर्वाणि भूतानि)

• दधाति: supports/bears
• दधाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• धरणी: the Earth
• धरणी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• किल: indeed/it is said
• किल: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रसिद्ध्यर्थक/अनुनासिक-निपात (indeed, it is said)

Speaker

Narrator addressing a king (implied by ‘rājendra’ nearby)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) kṣetra (contextual)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājendra (king) as addressee in the surrounding passage

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative donor pauses before giving; two contrasting recipients are implied—one worthy (calm, learned, disciplined) and one unworthy (greedy, disrespectful). Behind them, the Earth motif: fields, mountains, and beings sustained by the land, symbolizing dharaṇī’s support.

Characters & Entities

• Dharaṇī (Earth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna must be guided by discernment; giving to the worthy preserves dharma and yields lasting prosperity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Revā/Narmadā sacred landscape is the setting, though this verse focuses on dāna-ethics.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prohibition: do not offer gifts to an apātra (unfit recipient) when seeking auspicious fruit.