Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 191

Devanagari script

वद शीघ्रं महाभाग कियन्मात्रां महीं तव । दास्यामि त्वरितेनैव मनसा तद्विमृश्यताम्

Transliteration

vada śīghraṃ mahābhāga kiyanmātrāṃ mahīṃ tava | dāsyāmi tvaritenaiva manasā tadvimṛśyatām

Translation

«Parle vite, ô bienheureux: quelle étendue de terre te faut-il? Je te la donnerai sur-le-champ—réfléchis-y bien en ton esprit.»

Word by Word

• वद: speak; tell
• वद: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular); परस्मैपदम्

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; समासः महा+भाग (कर्मधारय)

• कियत्-मात्राम्: how much (in measure)
• कियत्-मात्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कियत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; समासः कियत्+मात्रा (तत्पुरुष)

• महीम्: earth; land
• महीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• तव: of you; your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• दास्यामि: I will give
• दास्यामि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• त्वरितेन: with haste; quickly
• त्वरितेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; त्वर्+क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (instrumental of manner)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/emphasis)

• मनसा: with (my) mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• विमृश्यताम्: let it be considered; reflect on it
• विमृश्यताम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+मृश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; भावे/आज्ञार्थे (let it be considered)

Speaker

Bali

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king, eager and magnanimous, urges a small ascetic petitioner to state the measure of land desired; attendants and court watch as the promise is made.

Characters & Entities

• Vāmana
• Bali

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True charity is prompt and deliberate—one should give readily, yet with mindful clarity about what is being granted.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly Kedāra-kṣetra through the Kedārakhaṇḍa setting; the verse itself centers on dāna in a legendary dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied act is bhū-dāna (gift of land), framed with saṅkalpa (clear intention).