Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

धनिनोप्यदानविभवा गण्यंते धुरि दरिद्राणाम् । नहि हंति यत्पिपासामतः समुद्रोऽपि मरुरेव

Transliteration

dhaninopyadānavibhavā gaṇyaṃte dhuri daridrāṇām | nahi haṃti yatpipāsāmataḥ samudro'pi marureva

Translation

富める者であっても施しの心なき者は、貧しき者の列に数えられる。渇きを癒さぬものは――ゆえに大海でさえ砂漠のごとし。

Word by Word

• धनिना: by a rich man
• धनिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• अदानविभवाः: possessing wealth without giving (non-donative wealthy)
• अदानविभवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदान-विभव (प्रातिपदिक: अदान + विभव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (अदान = दानाभावः) + षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अदानस्य विभवः) अर्थे बहुवचन-विशेषण

• गण्यन्ते: are counted, are regarded
• गण्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गण् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (passive-like sense: 'are counted')

• धुरि: in the forefront, in the leading rank
• धुरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धुरि/धुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; 'धुरि' = अग्रे/पङ्क्तौ

• दरिद्राणाम्: of the poor
• दरिद्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• नहि: indeed not, for not
• नहि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नहि (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: indeed not/for not)

• हन्ति: kills, removes
• हन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यत्: which (that which)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (correlative)

• पिपासाम्: thirst
• पिपासाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिपासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अतः: therefore, hence
• अतः: Sambandha (Logical connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्यय (therefore/from that)

• समुद्रः: ocean
• समुद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• मरुः: a desert
• मरुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'मरु' = मरुभूमिः

• एव: only, indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Narrative voice within Tīrthamāhātmya (contextual speaker not explicit in the excerpt)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A rich man beside a vast ocean, yet parched; nearby a poor donor offers a small pot of water to a traveler—showing that generosity, not quantity, ends thirst.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wealth without generosity fails its purpose; true ‘richness’ is measured by the ability to relieve others’ needs.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is specified; the verse supports the moral framework that tīrtha-mahātmyas seek to instill.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied prescription is dāna—using wealth to remove ‘thirst’ (need) in others.