Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

माघमासे विशेषेण तिलदानं करोति यः । तिलसंख्यानि वर्षाणि स्वर्गे तिष्ठति मानवः

Transliteration

māghamāse viśeṣeṇa tiladānaṃ karoti yaḥ | tilasaṃkhyāni varṣāṇi svarge tiṣṭhati mānavaḥ

Translation

Quiconque, surtout au mois de Māgha, fait l’aumône de graines de sésame, demeure au ciel autant d’années qu’il a offert de graines.

Word by Word

• माघ-मासे: in the month of Māgha
• माघ-मासे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणत्वेन (adverbial instrumental)

• तिल-दानम्: gift of sesame
• तिल-दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: तिलस्य दानम्

• करोति: does; performs
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present, 3rd person, Singular; परस्मैपद

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तिल-संख्यानि: as many as sesame(-seeds) (in number)
• तिल-संख्यानि: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Plural; ‘वर्षाणि’ इति विशेषणम्; तिलानां संख्या इव (तत्पुरुष)

• वर्षाणि: years
• वर्षाणि: Karma (Extent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तिष्ठति: stays; remains
• तिष्ठति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present, 3rd person, Singular

• मानवः: a man; human
• मानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Deductive: likely Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating dharma and tīrtha-fruit in Arbuda Khaṇḍa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gomatī-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A donor offers a bowl of black sesame to a brāhmaṇa near the river after Māgha snāna; counting-like motif of sesame transforming into stars/years in svarga.

Characters & Entities

• Māgha (month)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seasonal sacred timing matters in Purāṇic dharma: Māgha amplifies the merit of charity, especially tiladāna.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Arbuda sacred landscape is in view; the verse emphasizes Māgha-dharma alongside local tīrtha praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tiladāna—donating sesame seeds—performed especially during Māgha.