Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

ततो दत्तं हुतं तेषामस्माकमुपतिष्ठति । यदुच्छिष्टं नरैर्दत्तं तद्वृथा जायतेऽखिलम्

Transliteration

tato dattaṃ hutaṃ teṣāmasmākamupatiṣṭhati | yaducchiṣṭaṃ narairdattaṃ tadvṛthā jāyate'khilam

Translation

Maka apa yang mereka sedekahkan dan apa yang mereka persembahkan ke dalam api yajña sungguh sampai kepada kami (para dewa). Namun apa pun yang dipersembahkan manusia dalam keadaan tidak suci, semuanya menjadi sia-sia belaka.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/therefore
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे (ablatival adverb: ‘then/therefore’)

• दत्तम्: what is given (gift)
• दत्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle used substantively); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हुतम्: what is offered in fire (oblation)
• हुतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हु (धातु) → हुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle used substantively); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अस्माकम्: to us/of us
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• उपतिष्ठति: accrues/comes to (is available)
• उपतिष्ठति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• उच्छिष्टम्: leftover/impure (remnant)
• उच्छिष्टम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied ‘दत्तम्’)

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Kartr̥ (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• दत्तम्: given (gift)
• दत्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वृथा: in vain
• वृथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘in vain’)

• जायते: becomes/turns out
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अखिलम्: entirely/all
• अखिलम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘तत्’)

Speaker

The Devas (collectively), continuing their plea/argument (contextual deduction)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic divine assembly: gods indicate that offerings and oblations reach them when humans are purified; impure offerings are shown as rejected/ineffective, fading into smoke without reaching the divine realm.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• dāna
• homa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity and right condition of the giver are essential; otherwise even large offerings lose spiritual efficacy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse supports the wider Śivarātri/Kali-age purification narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna and homa are referenced, with an insistence on avoiding ‘ucchiṣṭa’ (impure/tainted) giving.