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Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 38

यो वा को वापि याचेत तस्मै देहि शिरोपि च । अपि यत्नेन महता कीर्तिमेव सदार्जय

yo vā ko vāpi yāceta tasmai dehi śiropi ca | api yatnena mahatā kīrtimeva sadārjaya

Quiconque vient te demander, donne-lui, fût-ce au prix de ta propre tête. Avec un grand effort, cherche toujours à n’acquérir que la noble renommée (satkīrti).

यःwho
यः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: or)
कःwho (anyone)
कः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)
अपिeven/also
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)
याचेतshould ask/beg
याचेत:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootयाच् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
तस्मैto him
तस्मै:
Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
देहिgive
देहि:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
शिरःhead
शिरः:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-निपात (also/even)
and
:
Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction: and)
अपिalso
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (even/also)
यत्नेनby effort
यत्नेन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
महताgreat
महता:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (यत्नेन)
कीर्तिम्fame
कीर्तिम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
एवindeed/only
एव:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic: indeed/only)
सदाalways
सदा:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसदा (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: always)
अर्जयacquire/earn
अर्जय:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअर्ज् (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Unspecified (didactic instruction within Brahmottara Khaṇḍa narrative)

Scene: A noble donor stands before a humble supplicant; the donor’s resolve is shown as unwavering, with a symbolic ‘head-offering’ motif (self-sacrifice) while a radiant aura of kīrti surrounds him.

FAQs

Dharma-centered generosity should be so firm that one values satkīrti (noble fame) above personal comfort, even above life itself.

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it gives universal dharma-instruction rather than a place-mahātmya.

Dāna (charitable giving) is prescribed—responding to a supplicant with wholehearted generosity.