Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

भूप्रदो मंडलाधीशः सर्वत्रसुखिनोन्नदाः । तोयदाता सदा तृप्तो रूपवान्रूप्यदो भवेत्

Transliteration

bhūprado maṃḍalādhīśaḥ sarvatrasukhinonnadāḥ | toyadātā sadā tṛpto rūpavānrūpyado bhavet

Translation

ഭൂദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ മണ്ടലാധീശനായി എല്ലായിടത്തും സുഖക്ഷേമം വർധിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. ജലദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ സദാ തൃപ്തനായി ഇരിക്കും. ശോഭാദായക ദാനത്തിൽ നിന്ന് രൂപവാൻ; വെള്ളി ദാനത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ധനവാൻ ആകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• bhū-pradaḥ: giver of land
• bhū-pradaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (दा धातु; कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (भूमेः प्रदः = भूमिदाता)

• maṃḍala-adhīśaḥ: lord of a realm
• maṃḍala-adhīśaḥ: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃḍala (प्रातिपदिक) + adhīśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मण्डलस्य अधीशः)

• sarvatra-sukhī: happy everywhere
• sarvatra-sukhī: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarvatra (अव्यय) + sukhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (सर्वत्र सुखी)

• unnadaḥ: resounding/celebrated
• unnadaḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: unnada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• toya-dātā: giver of water
• toya-dātā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक) + dātṛ (दा धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तोयस्य दाता)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

• tṛptaḥ: satisfied
• tṛptaḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tṛp (तृप् धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• rūpavān: handsome
• rūpavān: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + matup् (मतुप् प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive)

• rūpya-daḥ: giver of silver
• rūpya-daḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpya (प्रातिपदिक) + da (दा धातु; कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रूप्यस्य दः = रजतदाता)

• bhavet: would become
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic procession of four donors: one grants a plot of land to a temple, one offers water to travelers, one gives fine garments/beautifying items, and one offers silver—each shown receiving corresponding auspicious radiance (crown, contented aura, beauty, wealth).

Characters & Entities

• Dāna (charity)
• Bhū-dāna (gift of land)
• Toya-dāna (gift of water)
• Rūpya (silver)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Generosity shapes destiny: different forms of dāna yield corresponding fruits—authority, contentment, beauty, and prosperity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching operates within Kāśī’s dharma ethos, promoting dāna as a pillar of merit for those living in or visiting Vārāṇasī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Charity guidance via dāna-phala: emphasize bhū-dāna (land), toya-dāna (water), and rūpya-dāna (silver), each linked to specific results.