Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

शक्त्या द्विजानां देयं च छत्रं धोत्रं कमंडलुम् । प्रणम्य ब्राह्मणान्भक्त्या नारदः प्रीयतामिति

Transliteration

śaktyā dvijānāṃ deyaṃ ca chatraṃ dhotraṃ kamaṃḍalum | praṇamya brāhmaṇānbhaktyā nāradaḥ prīyatāmiti

Translation

力に応じて、二度生まれの者（ドヴィジャ）に天蓋（傘）と布とカマンダル（浄水の壺）を施すべし。ブラーフマナに信敬して礼拝し、「ナーラダよ、どうかお喜びあれ」と唱える。

Word by Word

• शक्त्या: by (one's) ability/power
• शक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; साधन/उपायार्थे (by means of ability/power)

• द्विजानाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), बहुवचन

• देयम्: (is) to be given
• देयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय) → देय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be given)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• छत्रम्: umbrella
• छत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

• धोत्रम्: sacrificial ladle/strainer (dhotra)
• धोत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कमण्डलुम्: water-pot (kamaṇḍalu)
• कमण्डलुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमण्डलु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु) + ल्यप् → प्रणम्य (अव्ययीभाव/क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having bowed)

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतौ/भावे (with devotion)

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रीयताम्: may (he) be pleased
• प्रीयताम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; आज्ञा/आशीः (let him be pleased)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्ति सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

Speaker

Contextual (injunctive passage within Sūta’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Guptakṣetra (implied by surrounding context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and other ṛṣis at Naimiṣāraṇya (standard Skanda frame; not explicit in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim/kingly figure offers a white parasol, folded cloth, and a kamaṇḍalu to seated brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis; hands joined in namaskāra; Nārada nearby with vīṇā, blessing the act.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Brāhmaṇas (Dvijas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity given according to one’s capacity, coupled with humility and devotion, becomes a powerful means of accruing merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named; the focus is on dhārmic giving and honoring brāhmaṇas within the narrative’s sacred framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform dāna to dvijas (parasol, cloth, water-pot), bow to brāhmaṇas, and utter the sankalpa-like phrase “Nāradaḥ prīyatām” (May Nārada be pleased).