Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

धनं प्राप्य यतिर्लोके मौनं ज्ञानं च नाभ्यसेत् । उपभोगं तु दानेन जीवितं ब्रह्मचर्यया

Transliteration

dhanaṃ prāpya yatirloke maunaṃ jñānaṃ ca nābhyaset | upabhogaṃ tu dānena jīvitaṃ brahmacaryayā

Translation

Si, après avoir acquis des richesses en ce monde, un ascète ne s’exerce ni au silence sacré ni à la connaissance, qu’au moins il sanctifie la jouissance par le don et préserve sa vie par le brahmacarya (continence).

Word by Word

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having obtained)

• यतिः: an ascetic
• यतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• मौनम्: silence
• मौनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थकः (and)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपातः

• अभ्यसेत्: should practice
• अभ्यसेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + अस् (धातु; अभ्यासे)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• उपभोगम्: enjoyment/consumption
• उपभोगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपभोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (but/indeed)

• दानेन: by giving/through charity
• दानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करणार्थे (by means of)

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मचर्यया: by celibacy/continence
• ब्रह्मचर्यया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करणार्थे (by means of)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya didactic narration context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (standard frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-ascetic at Prabhāsa, holding a kamaṇḍalu and japa-mālā, offers coins/food to the needy while maintaining a composed, restrained posture; the sea-temple horizon suggests Somnātha/Prabhāsa sanctity.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wealth without inner discipline is spiritually risky; charity and continence are presented as purifying safeguards.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching appears within the Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya, aligning personal discipline with the sanctity of the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Practice mauna and jñāna; failing that, perform dāna and maintain brahmacarya.