Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

अथवा धनकामस्त्वं वस्त्रकामोऽथ तापस । व्रज वित्तपतिर्यत्र दानशालां समाश्रितः

Transliteration

athavā dhanakāmastvaṃ vastrakāmo'tha tāpasa | vraja vittapatiryatra dānaśālāṃ samāśritaḥ

Translation

Atau, wahai pertapa, bila engkau menginginkan harta atau menginginkan pakaian, pergilah ke tempat di mana Sang Penguasa kekayaan bersemayam di dānaśālā, balai sedekah suci.

Word by Word

• athavā: or else
• athavā: Sambandha (Linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• dhanakāmaḥ: desirous of wealth
• dhanakāmaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhana + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dhanasya kāmaḥ)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuzmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vastrakāmaḥ: desirous of clothes
• vastrakāmaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vastra + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vastrasya kāmaḥ)

• atha: then/now
• atha: Sambandha (Linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/सम्बोधनपूर्वक-अव्यय (then/now)

• tāpasa: O ascetic
• tāpasa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāpasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• vraja: go
• vraja: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vraj (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• vittapatiḥ: the lord of wealth (treasurer)
• vittapatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vitta + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vittasya patiḥ)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb of place)

• dānaśālām: the charity hall
• dānaśālām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna + śālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dānasya śālā)

• samāśritaḥ: having taken refuge in / staying at
• samāśritaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√śri (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'आश्रितः' (having resorted to)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (contextual narrator/dialogue within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dānaśālā near a temple precinct: a dignified figure symbolizing Vittapati presides (Kubera-like, with treasure motifs) while donors distribute garments and coins; an ascetic is directed toward the hall by brāhmaṇas.

Characters & Entities

• Vittapati (Kubera)
• Dānaśālā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even material wishes are to be pursued through dharmic means—by approaching a sacred setting of charity (dāna) connected with tīrtha-mahātmya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse points to a specific dānaśālā within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya setting, but the exact place-name is not stated in this single shloka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A practical directive is given: go to the dānaśālā (charity-hall), implying dāna (giving) as the dharmic act associated with obtaining prosperity.