Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

सीताया वचनात्तत्र गुरुवाक्येन चैव हि । आत्मनो वंशवृद्ध्यर्थं द्विजेभ्योऽदाद्रघूत्तमः

Transliteration

sītāyā vacanāttatra guruvākyena caiva hi | ātmano vaṃśavṛddhyarthaṃ dvijebhyo'dādraghūttamaḥ

Translation

അവിടെ സീതയുടെ വചനപ്രകാരംയും ഗുരുവാക്യം അനുസരിച്ചും, തന്റെ വംശവർദ്ധനയും തുടർച്ചയും ലക്ഷ്യമാക്കി രഘൂത്തമൻ (രാമൻ) ദ്വിജന്മാർക്ക് ദാനം നൽകി.

Word by Word

• सीतायाः: of Sītā
• सीतायाः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• वचनात्: from (her) word/at the request
• वचनात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (हेतु/अपादान), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• गुरुवाक्येन: by the guru’s instruction
• गुरुवाक्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (गुरोः वाक्येन)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphasis)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निपात (for/indeed)

• आत्मनः: of himself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• वंशवृद्ध्यर्थम्: for the growth of (his) lineage
• वंशवृद्ध्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश + वृद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (वंशस्य वृद्धेः अर्थम् = for the increase of lineage)

• द्विजेभ्यः: to the Brahmins
• द्विजेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन

• अदात्: gave
• अदात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• रघूत्तमः: Raghūttama (best of the Raghus; Rāma)
• रघूत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रघु + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (रघुषु उत्तमः)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Brāhma Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sītāpura (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sītā gently requests a charitable act; the guru’s counsel is acknowledged; Rāma offers gifts to seated brāhmaṇas with folded hands, emphasizing humility and dharmic intent.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma (Raghūttama)
• Guru
• Dvijas (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna performed with humility—guided by guru and aligned with dharma—supports both worldly continuity (lineage) and spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The Dharmāraṇya sacred region centered on Sītāpura/Dharmālaya, where such dhārmic giving is narrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Giving to dvijas (brāhmaṇas) as a dhārmic act, specifically connected to vaṃśavṛddhi (prosperity/continuity of lineage).