Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 90

Devanagari script

पुण्यस्थले विशेषेण दानं सत्पात्रगर्हितम् । अन्यथा दशजन्मानि कृकलासो भविष्यति

Transliteration

puṇyasthale viśeṣeṇa dānaṃ satpātragarhitam | anyathā daśajanmāni kṛkalāso bhaviṣyati

Translation

പുണ്യസ്ഥാനത്തിൽ പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് അയോഗ്യപാത്രത്തിന് നൽകിയ ദാനം സത്പാത്രത്തിന്റെ മാനദണ്ഡപ്രകാരം നിന്ദ്യമാണ്. അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ദാതാവ് പത്ത് ജന്മം കൃകലാസം (പല്ലി) ആയി ജനിക്കും.

Word by Word

• पुण्यस्थले: in a holy place
• पुण्यस्थले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य-स्थल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of place)

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभावः; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial instrumental)

• दानम्: giving, donation
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषय-रूपेण

• सत्पात्रगर्हितम्: censured when (given) to an unworthy recipient (lit. censured regarding a worthy vessel)
• सत्पात्रगर्हितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्-पात्र-गर्हित (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying दानम्)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद-क्रियाविशेषण (otherwise)

• दशजन्मानि: ten births
• दशजन्मानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश-जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; काल/परिमाण-रूपेण (extent)

• कृकलासः: a lizard
• कृकलासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृकलास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• भविष्यति: will become
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setutīrtha/Setukṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at a sacred tīrtha hesitates before giving; a radiant worthy brāhmaṇa/ascetic stands nearby while a shadowy unworthy beggar figure symbolizes dūṣita-pātra; in the background, the Setu seashore and a small shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a holy place, dharma is stricter: improper charity to an unworthy recipient brings heavy karmic consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse speaks generally of puṇya-sthala within Setukhaṇḍa, implicitly applying to Setu tīrtha (Rāmeśvaram region).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ensure dāna is offered to a satpātra, particularly when performing charity at a sacred site.