Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

अथवा धनकामस्त्वं वस्त्रकामोऽथ तापस । व्रज वित्तपतिर्यत्र दानशालां समाश्रितः

Transliteration

athavā dhanakāmastvaṃ vastrakāmo'tha tāpasa | vraja vittapatiryatra dānaśālāṃ samāśritaḥ

Translation

അല്ലെങ്കിൽ, ഹേ തപസ്വീ—നിനക്ക് ധനം വേണമെങ്കിലും വസ്ത്രം വേണമെങ്കിലും, ദാനശാലയിൽ ആശ്രയിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന ധനാധിപൻ ഉള്ളിടത്തേക്ക് പോകുക.

Word by Word

• athavā: or else
• athavā: Sambandha (Linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• dhanakāmaḥ: desirous of wealth
• dhanakāmaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhana + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dhanasya kāmaḥ)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuzmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vastrakāmaḥ: desirous of clothes
• vastrakāmaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vastra + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vastrasya kāmaḥ)

• atha: then/now
• atha: Sambandha (Linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/सम्बोधनपूर्वक-अव्यय (then/now)

• tāpasa: O ascetic
• tāpasa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāpasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• vraja: go
• vraja: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vraj (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• vittapatiḥ: the lord of wealth (treasurer)
• vittapatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vitta + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vittasya patiḥ)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb of place)

• dānaśālām: the charity hall
• dānaśālām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna + śālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dānasya śālā)

• samāśritaḥ: having taken refuge in / staying at
• samāśritaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√śri (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'आश्रितः' (having resorted to)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (contextual narrator/dialogue within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dānaśālā near a temple precinct: a dignified figure symbolizing Vittapati presides (Kubera-like, with treasure motifs) while donors distribute garments and coins; an ascetic is directed toward the hall by brāhmaṇas.

Characters & Entities

• Vittapati (Kubera)
• Dānaśālā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even material wishes are to be pursued through dharmic means—by approaching a sacred setting of charity (dāna) connected with tīrtha-mahātmya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse points to a specific dānaśālā within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya setting, but the exact place-name is not stated in this single shloka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A practical directive is given: go to the dānaśālā (charity-hall), implying dāna (giving) as the dharmic act associated with obtaining prosperity.