Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

न दोषो हीनवित्तस्य तावन्मात्रपरिग्रहे । श्रोतव्या सत्कथा विष्णोर्नामसंकीर्त्तनामृतम्

Transliteration

na doṣo hīnavittasya tāvanmātraparigrahe | śrotavyā satkathā viṣṇornāmasaṃkīrttanāmṛtam

Translation

अल्प-धन वाले के लिए केवल आवश्यक मात्र ग्रहण करने में दोष नहीं है। किंतु विष्णु की सत्कथाएँ—उनके नाम-संकीर्तन का अमृत—श्रवण करनी चाहिए।

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation)

• दोषः: fault
• दोषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हीनवित्तस्य: of one with little wealth
• हीनवित्तस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हीन-वित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (हीनं वित्तं यस्य/हीनं वित्तम्)

• तावत्-मात्र-परिग्रहे: in possessing only that much
• तावत्-मात्र-परिग्रहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तावत् + मात्र + परिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (तावत्-मात्रः परिग्रहः)

• श्रोतव्या: should be listened to
• श्रोतव्या: Karya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्) → श्रोतव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), विधेय-विशेषण (to be heard)

• सत्कथा: holy discourse
• सत्कथा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्-कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सत् = शुभा/साध्वी कथा)

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाम-संकीर्तन-अमृतम्: the nectar of chanting the Name
• नाम-संकीर्तन-अमृतम्: Apposition (Viśeṣaṇa/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् + संकीर्तन + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नाम्नः संकीर्तनम्—तस्य अमृतम्)

Speaker

Nārada (instructing sages/pilgrims; speaker attribution from immediate narrative context of Adhyāya 30)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A modest pilgrim sits among devotees listening to a reciter narrate Viṣṇu’s deeds; a gentle stream of luminous syllables (nāma-amṛta) flows toward the listeners, signifying inner nourishment beyond material lack.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Nāma-saṅkīrtana
• Dvārakā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

If resources are limited, simplicity is blameless; true wealth is gained through Hari-kathā and chanting God’s names.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is the broader setting; the verse highlights devotional practices suitable for pilgrims on that sacred route.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa (listening) to Viṣṇu’s sacred narratives and nāma-saṅkīrtana (chanting His names).