Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

द्वौ पाकाविति निर्दिष्टौ प्रकारांश्चतुरः श्रृणु । ध्रुवमाहुस्त्रिकं काम्यं नैमित्तिकमिति क्रमात्

Transliteration

dvau pākāviti nirdiṣṭau prakārāṃścaturaḥ śrṛṇu | dhruvamāhustrikaṃ kāmyaṃ naimittikamiti kramāt

Translation

രണ്ട് ‘പാകങ്ങൾ’ (ഫലപരിപാകങ്ങൾ) സൂചിപ്പിച്ചു; ഇനി നാല് രീതികൾ കേൾക്കുക. ക്രമമായി—ധ്രുവം, ത്രികം, കാമ്യം, നൈമിത്തികം എന്നു പറയുന്നു.

Word by Word

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• पाकौ: modes/results (pākas)
• पाकौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक-निपात (quotative particle)

• निर्दिष्टौ: have been stated/indicated
• निर्दिष्टौ: Kriya (Predicative action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि: + दिश् (धातु) → निर्दिष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate participle)

• प्रकारान्: types, kinds
• प्रकारान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• चतुरः: four
• चतुरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (चतुरः = चतुरान्)

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: the fixed (one), constant
• ध्रुवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• त्रिकम्: the triad (threefold)
• त्रिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• काम्यम्: the desire-motivated (type)
• काम्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नैमित्तिकम्: the occasional/causal (type)
• नैमित्तिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक-निपात

• क्रमात्: in order, successively
• क्रमात्: Adverbial (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (adverbial ablative: in order/ क्रमशः)

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-figure enumerates four categories on palm-leaf or with hand gestures; behind, four small vignettes: building a tank (dhruva), daily alms (trika), desire-offering with ritual items (kāmya), and festival/occasion giving (naimittika).

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity is not one-dimensional; it is classified by motive and context, which shapes its spiritual quality and fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse is a doctrinal categorization of dāna.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It introduces four categories of dāna (including kāmya and naimittika) to guide practice by intention and occasion.