Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

धनवंतमदातारं दरिद्रं वाऽतपस्विनम् । उभावंभसि मोक्तव्यौ कंठे बद्धा महाशिलाम्

Transliteration

dhanavaṃtamadātāraṃ daridraṃ vā'tapasvinam | ubhāvaṃbhasi moktavyau kaṃṭhe baddhā mahāśilām

Translation

ധനവാനായിട്ടും ദാനം ചെയ്യാത്തവനും, ദരിദ്രനായിട്ടും തപസ്സു ചെയ്യാത്തവനും—ഇരുവരെയും കഴുത്തിൽ വലിയ കല്ല് കെട്ടി വെള്ളത്തിൽ എറിയേണ്ടവരെന്നു പറയുന്നു.

Word by Word

• dhanavantam: wealthy
• dhanavantam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanavant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘धनवत्’ = wealthy

• a-dātāram: non-giver
• a-dātāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-dātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; नञ्-प्रत्यय (non-giver)

• daridram: a poor man
• daridram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daridra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Disjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (or)

• a-tapasvinam: one without austerity
• a-tapasvinam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-tapasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; नञ् (one without austerity/asceticism)

• ubhau: both
• ubhau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनम्; ‘both’

• ambhasi: in water
• ambhasi: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचनम्; अधिकरण (location)

• moktabyau: should be thrown
• moktabyau: Kriya (Predicate obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muc (धातु) + tavya (कृत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृत्य (gerundive/obligatory); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनम्; ‘to be thrown/released’

• kaṇṭhe: on the neck
• kaṇṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्; अधिकरण

• baddhā: tied
• baddhā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bandh (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘bound/tied’ (agreeing with śilām)

• mahā-śilām: a great stone
• mahā-śilām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + śilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः — ‘महती शिला’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: river (symbolic)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An allegorical judgment scene at a riverbank: a rich miser clutching coins and a poor man lounging without discipline; both are shown with a heavy stone tied at the neck, about to be cast into dark waters—symbolizing moral sinking.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Each person has a dharmic duty: the wealthy should give, and the poor should cultivate tapas; neglect of one’s capacity-bound duty is censured.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; it is a forceful ethical statement within the charity discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prescribes dāna for the wealthy and tapas (austerity/discipline) for those without wealth.