Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

आस्तां तावत्प्रदानं च पृथिव्याः पृथिवीपतेः । दातुः संप्रेरणं यस्या अज्ञानौघविनाशनम्

Transliteration

āstāṃ tāvatpradānaṃ ca pṛthivyāḥ pṛthivīpateḥ | dātuḥ saṃpreraṇaṃ yasyā ajñānaughavināśanam

Translation

Ô seigneur de la terre, laissons de côté la grandeur du don de la terre elle-même : même l’élan intérieur qui pousse quelqu’un à donner, dans cet acte sacré, devient destructeur du flot d’ignorance.

Word by Word

• आस्ताम्: let it be/leave aside
• आस्ताम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विध्यर्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'आस्ताम्' = 'let it be/leave aside' (idiomatic)

• तावत्: for the moment
• तावत्: Sambandha/Particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: for now/so much)

• प्रदानम्: the giving (gift)
• प्रदानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• पृथिव्याः: of the earth
• पृथिव्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• पृथिवीपतेः: of the king (lord of the earth)
• पृथिवीपतेः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; समासः—पृथिव्याः पतिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• दातुः: of the giver
• दातुः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• संप्रेरणम्: the incitement/encouragement
• संप्रेरणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्-प्र-ईरण/प्रेरण (प्रातिपदिक; √ईर्/√प्रेर् भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• यस्याः: of which/whose
• यस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• अज्ञानौघविनाशनम्: destroyer of the flood of ignorance
• अज्ञानौघविनाशनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + ओघ (प्रातिपदिक) + विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः—अज्ञानस्य ओघः तस्य विनाशनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः, बहुपद)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from Tīrthamāhātmya narration style; explicit speaker appears at the start of next adhyāya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: pṛthivīpati (king addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative moment: the king reflects as the sage explains that even the arising of generosity is a torch against ignorance; a subtle visual metaphor of darkness receding from the heart.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In tīrtha-context charity purifies the mind so deeply that even the intention to give is credited with destroying ignorance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Gautameśvara Māhātmya within Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (Nāgara-khaṇḍa).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pṛthvī-dāna (donation of land/earth) is being praised; the emphasis is on the sanctity of the giving-intention at the tīrtha.