Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

पुण्यमार्गार्जित धनो धनतोषितमार्गणः । मार्गणस्फारितयशा यशोदातनयार्चकः

Transliteration

puṇyamārgārjita dhano dhanatoṣitamārgaṇaḥ | mārgaṇasphāritayaśā yaśodātanayārcakaḥ

Translation

Sa fortune fut acquise par la voie du mérite; de ses biens il comblait les suppliants. Sa renommée s’étendit par sa largesse, et il adorait le Fils de Yaśodā (Kṛṣṇa).

Word by Word

• पुण्यमार्गार्जितः: earned through a righteous means
• पुण्यमार्गार्जितः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + mārga (प्रातिपदिक) + arjita (कृदन्त, kta from √arj)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (पुण्येन मार्गेण अर्जितः = acquired by a meritorious path); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• धनः: wealthy (man)
• धनः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (here: 'one having wealth'/as predicate noun)

• धनतोषितमार्गणः: (one who) satisfied beggars with wealth
• धनतोषितमार्गणः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक) + toṣita (कृदन्त, kta from √tuṣ) + mārgaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (धनेन तोषितः मार्गणः = a beggar satisfied with wealth); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मार्गणस्फारितयशाः: whose fame was spread by beggars
• मार्गणस्फारितयशाः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārgaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sphārita (कृदन्त, kta from √sphār) + yaśas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (मार्गणैः स्फारितं यशः यस्य = whose fame was spread by beggars); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• यशोदातनयार्चकः: worshipper of Yaśodā’s son (Kṛṣṇa)
• यशोदातनयार्चकः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yaśodā (प्रातिपदिक) + tanaya (प्रातिपदिक) + arcaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (यशोदायाः तनयस्य अर्चकः = worshipper of Yaśodā's son); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (narrating the itihāsa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A prosperous merchant distributes gifts to petitioners—food, coins, cloth—while maintaining a small shrine to Kṛṣṇa (Yaśodā’s son) with lamp and tulasī; his fame spreads as townspeople speak of his generosity.

Characters & Entities

• Dhanaṃjaya
• Yaśodā-tanaya (Kṛṣṇa)
• Puṇya (merit)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous earning, charitable giving, and devotion together form a complete dharmic life praised by the Purāṇas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the broader sacred narrative that will connect back to Kāśī’s greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit endorsement of dāna (generosity) and arcana (worship), though no specific procedure is detailed.