Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

देशकालौ च दानानामंगान्येतानि षड्विदुः । अपरोगी च धर्मात्मा दित्सुरव्यसनः शुचिः

Transliteration

deśakālau ca dānānāmaṃgānyetāni ṣaḍviduḥ | aparogī ca dharmātmā ditsuravyasanaḥ śuciḥ

Translation

ദേശവും കാലവും ദാനത്തിന്റെ അംഗങ്ങളിലായി എണ്ണപ്പെടുന്നു—ഇവയാണ് ആറ് അംഗങ്ങൾ. യോജ്യനായ ദാതാവ് നിരാമയൻ, ധർമ്മാത്മാവ്, ദാനോത്സുകൻ, വ്യസനരഹിതൻ, ശുചിയുള്ളവൻ.

Word by Word

• देशकालौ: place and time
• देशकालौ: Karta (Subject; item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश + काल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (देशश्च कालश्च)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात

• दानानाम्: of gifts/charities
• दानानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• अङ्गानि: limbs/parts
• अङ्गानि: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• षट्: six
• षट्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; बहुवचनार्थे

• विदुः: know/consider
• विदुः: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• अपरोगी: free from disease
• अपरोगी: Visheshana (Qualifier; of दाता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + रोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (रोगो नास्ति यस्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled
• धर्मात्मा: Visheshana (Qualifier; of दाता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (धर्मः आत्मा यस्य)

• दित्सुः: wishing to give
• दित्सुः: Visheshana (Qualifier; of दाता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दित्सु (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सन्-इच्छार्थक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सन्नन्त-इच्छार्थक कृदन्तः ‘desiring to give’

• अव्यसनः: free from vice/addiction
• अव्यसनः: Visheshana (Qualifier; of दाता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + व्यसन (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (व्यसनं नास्ति यस्य)

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Visheshana (Qualifier; of दाता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim gives alms at a riverbank/temple gate on an auspicious day; sun/moon symbols indicate kāla; a map-like cue or shrine indicates deśa; the giver appears clean and composed.

Characters & Entities

• Deśa (place)
• Kāla (time)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right charity depends on context (place and time) and on the donor’s inner and outer purity and dharmic disposition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is specified; however, the verse implies sacred geography matters because deśa (place) affects the dharmic quality of dāna.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Consider place and time as essential factors in giving, and cultivate the donor-qualities of purity, dharma-mindedness, and readiness to give.