Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 164

Devanagari script

तस्मान्मंत्रैः सदा देयं पौराणैर्वैदिकैरपि । अन्यथा ते न गृह्णन्ति भूतानामुपतिष्ठति

Transliteration

tasmānmaṃtraiḥ sadā deyaṃ paurāṇairvaidikairapi | anyathā te na gṛhṇanti bhūtānāmupatiṣṭhati

Translation

C’est pourquoi les dons doivent toujours être faits avec des mantras, qu’ils soient purāṇiques ou védiques. Sinon, ils ne les acceptent pas, et l’offrande finit par aller à la cohorte des esprits (bhūta).

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (reason/therefore)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-रूपेण अव्ययवत्; हेत्वर्थ (therefore)

• mantraiḥ: with mantras
• mantraiḥ: Karana (instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kala (time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• deyam: should be given
• deyam: Kriya (injunctive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु) + yat (यत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (ought to be given)

• paurāṇaiḥ: Puranic
• paurāṇaiḥ: Karana (instrument qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paurāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (mantraiḥ)

• vaidikaiḥ: Vedic
• vaidikaiḥ: Karana (instrument qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaidika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (mantraiḥ)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also)

• anyathā: otherwise
• anyathā: Sambandha (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (otherwise)

• te: they
• te: Karta (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• gṛhṇanti: accept
• gṛhṇanti: Kriya (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (ग्रह् धातु)
• Form: लट्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• bhūtānām: of beings
• bhūtānām: Sambandha (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• upatiṣṭhati: attends/stands by (serves)
• upatiṣṭhati: Kriya (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: लट्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Mahākāla (contextual)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual gift being offered with mantra as a protective aura; in contrast, shadowy bhūta figures lurk at the margins ready to seize mantra-less offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Paurāṇa-mantra
• Vaidika-mantra
• Bhūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mantra safeguards and directs the fruit of giving; without it, the intended divine recipients are not reached.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse lays down a general ritual rule.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Give dāna with mantras (Purāṇic or Vedic); otherwise the devas/pitṛs do not accept it and it is diverted to bhūtas.