Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

पात्र मित्र विनीतेषु दीनानाथोपकारिषु । मातापितुगुरूष्वेतन्नवकं दत्तमक्षयम्

Transliteration

pātra mitra vinīteṣu dīnānāthopakāriṣu | mātāpitugurūṣvetannavakaṃ dattamakṣayam

Translation

この「九種の施し」を、ふさわしい受け手—友、修養ある者、貧しき者と寄る辺なき者を助ける人々、そして母・父・師—に捧げるなら、その功徳は尽きることがない。

Word by Word

• पात्र: in worthy recipients
• पात्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (पात्रेषु; छन्दः/पाठे लोपः)

• मित्र: in friends
• मित्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (मित्रेषु; छन्दः/पाठे लोपः)

• विनीतेषु: among the disciplined
• विनीतेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + नीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √नी)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘विनीत’ = disciplined

• दीनानाथोपकारिषु: among helpers of the poor and helpless
• दीनानाथोपकारिषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन + अनाथ + उपकारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-तत्पुरुष/बहुपद-समास (दीनानाथानाम् उपकारिणः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मातृ: among mothers
• मातृ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (मातृषु; छन्दः/पाठे लोपः)

• पितृ: among fathers
• पितृ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (पितृषु; छन्दः/पाठे लोपः)

• गुरुषु: among teachers/elders
• गुरुषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नवकम्: the set of nine
• नवकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नवक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘नवक’ = group of nine

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः ‘given’

• अक्षयम्: imperishable/inexhaustible
• अक्षयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A donor in Kāśī offers gifts in nine forms (symbolic bundles) to a circle of recipients: a humble friend, a disciplined ascetic/student, a caregiver aiding the poor, and centrally to mother, father, and guru seated on a raised platform; a subtle aura indicates ‘akṣaya’ merit flowing upward like light.

Characters & Entities

• Guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Merit becomes ‘akṣaya’ when generosity is directed to the worthy and to those who sustain dharma—parents and teachers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the textual setting; the verse emphasizes dharmic giving rather than a named sacred spot.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (charitable giving) is prescribed with an emphasis on proper recipients to ensure lasting spiritual fruit.