Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

वैश्य उवाच । अस्मिन्रत्नवरे दिव्ये यदि ते सस्पृहं मनः । तमेवादत्स्व सुप्रीता मौल्यमस्य ददासि किम्

Transliteration

vaiśya uvāca | asminratnavare divye yadi te saspṛhaṃ manaḥ | tamevādatsva suprītā maulyamasya dadāsi kim

Translation

Le Vaiśya dit : «Si ton cœur désire ce joyau divin et suprême, prends-le avec joie. Quel prix en donneras-tu ?»

Word by Word

• वैश्यः: the merchant
• वैश्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• रत्नवरे: in the excellent jewel
• रत्नवरे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न-वर (प्रातिपदिक; रत्न + वर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (श्रेष्ठं रत्नम्)

• दिव्ये: divine
• दिव्ये: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तसूचक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सस्पृहम्: eager/longing
• सस्पृहम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-स्पृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (मनः इति पदस्य)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तम्: that (one)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• आदत्स्व: take (for yourself)
• आदत्स्व: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• सुप्रीता: O very pleased one / being very pleased
• सुप्रीता: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-प्रीत (प्रातिपदिक; प्री (धातु) + क्त → प्रीत)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; सम्बोधनार्थे/विशेषण (addressing the woman)

• मौल्यम्: price/value
• मौल्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौल्‍य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ददासि: you give
• ददासि: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

Speaker

Vaiśya (the merchant)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The merchant holds out the divine jewel/bracelet, inviting her to take it, while asking the price; the woman’s gaze fixes on the ornament, tension between desire and negotiation.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśya
• ratna (jewel)
• kaṃkaṇa (bracelet)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire and value are questioned directly—setting up a dharmic reflection on what one is willing to exchange for pleasure or gain.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a transactional question within a moral narrative.