Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

यांतु शीघ्रं हि भो विप्राः कथयंतु ममाज्ञया । राज्ञे कुमारपालाय देहि त्वं ब्राह्मणालयम्

Transliteration

yāṃtu śīghraṃ hi bho viprāḥ kathayaṃtu mamājñayā | rājñe kumārapālāya dehi tvaṃ brāhmaṇālayam

Translation

ഹേ വിപ്രന്മാരേ, വേഗം ചെന്നു എന്റെ ആജ്ഞപ്രകാരം രാജാവ് കുമാരപാലനോട് ഇങ്ങനെ പറയുക— “ബ്രാഹ്മണാലയം (ബ്രാഹ്മണരുടെ വാസസ്ഥലം) നൽകുക.”

Word by Word

• यान्तु: let them go
• यान्तु: Kriyā (Command/आज्ञार्थक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• भो: O!
• भो: Āmantraṇa (Address/आमन्त्रण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• कथयन्तु: let them tell
• कथयन्तु: Kriyā (Command/आज्ञार्थक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• आज्ञया: by (my) command
• आज्ञया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• राज्ञे: to the king
• राज्ञे: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• कुमारपालाय: to Kumārapāla
• कुमारपालाय: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमारपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• देहि: give
• देहि: Kriyā (Command/आज्ञार्थक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Agent addressed/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणालयम्: a Brahmins' dwelling/house
• ब्राह्मणालयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('of Brahmins'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

The king (addressing the brāhmaṇas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brāhmaṇālaya (institutional sacred residence)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king issues a decisive order to brāhmaṇas: go quickly and deliver a command to King Kumārapāla to grant a brāhmaṇa-dwelling; messengers bow and depart.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇas (viprāḥ)
• King Kumārapāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes prompt, practical support for learned and righteous people through protection and rightful endowments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is the narrative setting; the passage emphasizes dharma-in-action rather than describing a separate tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A form of dāna is implied: granting a brāhmaṇālaya (residence/land or dwelling) for brāhmaṇas.