Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

किं दानस्य प्रभावेन व्रतयागस्य वा मुने । तपसो वा मुनिश्रेष्ठ व्रतस्य नियमस्य च

Transliteration

kiṃ dānasya prabhāvena vratayāgasya vā mune | tapaso vā muniśreṣṭha vratasya niyamasya ca

Translation

“Wahai muni, apakah ini karena daya dāna (derma), atau karena vrata dan yajña? Ataukah, wahai yang terbaik di antara para pertapa, karena tapas (laku tapa)—atau karena tata-aturan dan disiplin dari vrata?”

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• दानस्य: of giving/charity
• दानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• प्रभावेन: by the power/effect
• प्रभावेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• व्रत-यागस्य: of vow and sacrifice
• व्रत-यागस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (vrata and sacrifice)

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• तपसः: of austerity
• तपसः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (or)

• मुनि-श्रेष्ठ: O best of sages
• मुनि-श्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (best among sages)

• व्रतस्य: of a vow
• व्रतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• नियमस्य: of observance/discipline
• नियमस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (and)

Speaker

Rājā (the King)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vasiṣṭha (addressed as muni/muniśreṣṭha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king enumerates possible causes—charity, sacrifice, austerity—counting on fingers; the sage listens, ready to specify the decisive act; ritual symbols (dāna vessel, yajña fire, rosary) appear as motifs.

Characters & Entities

• Muni (sage—addressed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It frames prosperity as potentially arising from multiple dharmic paths—charity, vows, sacrifice, austerity, and disciplined conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it is a doctrinal inquiry within the Arbuda narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse lists meritorious practices—dāna, vrata, yāga, tapas, and niyama—without prescribing a specific one yet.