Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

अन्नदानादिकं सर्वं विभवे सति मानवः । अपि स्वल्पं स्वशक्त्या वै कृतं कोटिगुणं भवेत्

Transliteration

annadānādikaṃ sarvaṃ vibhave sati mānavaḥ | api svalpaṃ svaśaktyā vai kṛtaṃ koṭiguṇaṃ bhavet

Translation

Tant qu’il en a les moyens, l’être humain doit accomplir toute œuvre méritoire, à commencer par le don de nourriture; même un peu fait selon sa force devient vraiment d’un fruit millionnaire.

Word by Word

• annadāna-ādikam: food-gift etc. (acts like alms)
• annadāna-ādikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna-dāna-ādi (प्रातिपदिक; अन्न + दान + आदि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आदि-प्रत्ययान्त समाहार/समुच्चयार्थ)

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• vibhave: in (one’s) wealth/means
• vibhave: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरणे (locative)

• sati: when (it) exists; being present
• sati: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: as (धातु) → sat (कृदन्त)
• Form: सत्-शतृ (वर्तमानकृदन्त), सप्तमी, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• mānavaḥ: a man
• mānavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha/Particle (Nipāta)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/also/even)

• svalpam: a little
• svalpam: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• sva-śaktyā: by one’s own ability
• sva-śaktyā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva-śakti (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + शक्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करणम्

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha/Particle (Nipāta)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• kṛtam: done; performed
• kṛtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) → kṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (भूतकृदन्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे कर्मविशेषणम्

• koṭi-guṇam: million-fold
• koṭi-guṇam: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: koṭi-guṇa (प्रातिपदिक; कोटि + गुण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• bhavet: would become
• bhavet: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Śrī Nārada (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee distributes food to pilgrims and the poor near a temple rest-house; even a small bowl offered with reverence is shown radiating symbolic light, indicating millionfold merit.

Characters & Entities

• Anna-dāna (food charity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a tīrtha context, sincere giving—measured by capacity, not display—yields immense spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā pilgrimage context, where dāna is said to multiply in fruit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform annadāna and other charities when able; even small offerings given within one’s means are greatly magnified in result.