Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

वैदिको दानमार्गोऽयं चतुर्धा वर्ण्यते द्विजैः । प्रपारामतडागादिसर्वकामफलं ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

vaidiko dānamārgo'yaṃ caturdhā varṇyate dvijaiḥ | prapārāmataḍāgādisarvakāmaphalaṃ dhruvam

Translation

ഈ വൈദിക ദാനമാർഗം ദ്വിജന്മാർ നാലുവിധമായി വർണ്ണിക്കുന്നു. അതിൽ ‘ധ്രുവ’ ദാനം—ജലശാല, വിശ്രമശാല, തടാകം മുതലായവ നിർമ്മിക്കൽ—എല്ലാ ശുഭകാമനകൾക്കും സ്ഥിരഫലം നൽകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• वैदिकः: Vedic
• वैदिकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दानमार्गः: path of giving/charity
• दानमार्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दानस्य मार्गः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चतुर्धा: fourfold
• चतुर्धा: Adverbial (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चतुर् + धा (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, संख्यावाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: in four ways)

• वर्ण्यते: is described
• वर्ण्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• द्विजैः: by the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजैः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• प्रपारा: water-shed/charitable water-station
• प्रपारा: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रपारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• अमटडाग: pond/reservoir (am-ṭaḍāga)
• अमटडाग: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमटडाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद; पाठान्तर/दुर्लभ-शब्द)

• आदि: and the like
• आदि: Sambandha (Etc./सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक (etc., and so on)

• सर्वकामफलम्: fruit of all desires
• सर्वकामफलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषां कामानां फलम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certain, assured
• ध्रुवम्: Visheshana (Predicate qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims and villagers drink from a prapā; a newly built tank reflects a temple spire; donors oversee construction with masons; the scene conveys continuous service across seasons.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sustaining life through public welfare gifts—water, shelter, and reservoirs—is a stable and highly fruitful form of charity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named; the verse praises dharmic infrastructure (water-sheds, groves, tanks) as universally meritorious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It recommends dhruva dāna such as establishing prapās (water stations), ārāmas (rest-groves), and taḍāgas (ponds/tanks).