Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

एषां प्रतिष्ठिता कीर्तिर्यावत्स्थास्यति मेदिनी । इति संचिंत्य सारार्थी स्थाणुदानपरो भव

Transliteration

eṣāṃ pratiṣṭhitā kīrtiryāvatsthāsyati medinī | iti saṃciṃtya sārārthī sthāṇudānaparo bhava

Translation

ഇവരുടെ സ്ഥാപിതമായ കീർത്തി ഭൂമി നിലനിൽക്കുന്നത്രയും നിലനിൽക്കും—ഇങ്ങനെ ചിന്തിച്ച്, ഹേ സാരാർത്ഥി, സ്ഥാണു (ശിവൻ)ക്ക് അർപ്പിക്കുന്ന ദാനത്തിൽ പരനായിരിക്കുക.

Word by Word

• एषाम्: of these (people)
• एषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रतिष्ठिता: established, firmly set
• प्रतिष्ठिता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कीर्तिः-विशेषणम्

• कीर्तिः: fame
• कीर्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Sambandha (temporal link)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative/relative adverb): ‘as long as’

• स्थास्यति: will remain
• स्थास्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• मेदिनी: the earth
• मेदिनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेदिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-बोधक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• संचिंत्य: having considered
• संचिंत्य: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + चिन्त् (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having reflected’

• सारार्थी: one seeking the essence/true goal
• सारार्थी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—सारः एव अर्थः यस्य/सारार्थं इच्छति इति (तत्पुरुष-प्रायः)

• स्थाणुदानपरः: devoted to giving (in honor) of Sthāṇu
• स्थाणुदानपरः: Visheshana (विशेषण of implied ‘त्वम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थाणु + दान + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—स्थाणोः दानम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + परः (‘devoted to’)

• भव: become; be
• भव: Kriya (क्रिया/command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: sārārthī (seeker of the highest essence)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-narrator points to the enduring fame of past donors, while a seeker ‘sārārthī’ listens; in the background, the earth endures and a Śiva emblem signifies Sthāṇu-dāna as the recommended path.

Characters & Entities

• Sthāṇu (Śiva)
• Medinī (Earth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Lasting glory and spiritual success arise from dedicated giving to Śiva, chosen as life’s essential practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse is a general Mahātmya exhortation toward Śiva-centered charity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An explicit injunction: become committed to Sthāṇu-dāna (charity dedicated to Śiva).