Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

इच्छासंस्थं च यद्दानं काम्यमित्यभिधीयते । कालापेक्षं क्रियापेक्षं गुणापेक्षमिति स्मृतौ

Transliteration

icchāsaṃsthaṃ ca yaddānaṃ kāmyamityabhidhīyate | kālāpekṣaṃ kriyāpekṣaṃ guṇāpekṣamiti smṛtau

Translation

സ്വകാര്യ ആഗ്രഹത്തിൽ അധിഷ്ഠിതമായ ദാനത്തെ ‘കാമ്യ’ എന്നു വിളിക്കുന്നു. സ്മൃതിയിൽ അത് കാലാപേക്ഷിതം, ക്രിയാപേക്ഷിതം, ഗുണാപേക്ഷിതം (പാത്രഗുണം) എന്നും നിർവചിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• इच्छासंस्थम्: based on desire
• इच्छासंस्थम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (इच्छायां/इच्छायाः संस्थम् = इच्छा-आश्रितम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दानम्: gift, charity
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• काम्यम्: desire-motivated
• काम्यम्: Visheshana (Predicate qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

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

• अभिधीयते: is called/defined
• अभिधीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• कालापेक्षम्: dependent on time
• कालापेक्षम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + अपेक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कालस्य अपेक्षम् = time-dependent), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्रियापेक्षम्: dependent on ritual action
• क्रियापेक्षम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + अपेक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्रियायाः अपेक्षम् = dependent on procedure), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गुणापेक्षम्: dependent on qualities
• गुणापेक्षम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + अपेक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गुणस्य अपेक्षम् = dependent on qualities/merit), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• स्मृतौ: in the Smṛti (tradition/text)
• स्मृतौ: Adhikarana (Location/Source text/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A donor consults an ācārya with a pañcāṅga; then performs a formal saṅkalpa and gives to a worthy recipient; three symbolic pillars labeled by objects: sundial/moon (kāla), ritual fire/spoon (kriyā), and a serene ascetic/learned person (guṇa).

Characters & Entities

• Smṛti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire-based charity is recognized, but it must be aligned with right timing, right method, and worthy recipients to be dharmically effective.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is a dharma teaching about how gifts should be evaluated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kāmya-dāna should be performed with attention to appropriate time (kāla), correct ritual/action (kriyā), and the recipient’s virtues (guṇa).