Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

धातूनि सृजता तेन रूप्यं सृष्टं स्वयंभुवा । तेन तद्विहितं श्राद्धे दक्षिणायां प्रतृप्तये

Transliteration

dhātūni sṛjatā tena rūpyaṃ sṛṣṭaṃ svayaṃbhuvā | tena tadvihitaṃ śrāddhe dakṣiṇāyāṃ pratṛptaye

Translation

ധാതുക്കൾ സൃഷ്ടിക്കുമ്പോൾ സ്വയംഭൂ രൂപ്യം (വെള്ളി) സൃഷ്ടിച്ചു. അതിനാൽ ശ്രാദ്ധത്തിൽ പൂർണ്ണ തൃപ്തിക്കായി അതിനെ ദക്ഷിണയായി വിധിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• धातूनि: metals, elements
• धातूनि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• सृजता: by (him) creating
• सृजता: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृज् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्तरि कृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया, एकवचन

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया, एकवचन

• रूप्यम्: silver
• रूप्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सृष्टम्: created
• सृष्टम्: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with 'रूप्यम्')

• स्वयंभुवा: by the Self-born (Brahmā)
• स्वयंभुवा: Karana (Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय) + भू (धातु) → स्वयंभू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (स्वयं भवति इति/स्वयमेव उत्पन्नः); पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया, एकवचन

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया, एकवचन

• तद्विहितम्: that which is prescribed/ordained
• तद्विहितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + विहित (वि + धा धातु + क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/तत्-विहितम् = तेन विहितम्/that-ordained); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्राद्धे: in śrāddha
• श्राद्धे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• दक्षिणायाम्: as the dakṣiṇā (gift/fee)
• दक्षिणायाम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी, एकवचन

• प्रतृप्तये: for full satisfaction
• प्रतृप्तये: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + तृप् (धातु) + क्तिन् → प्रतृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे चतुर्थी (4th case/Dative), एकवचन (purpose: 'for satisfaction')

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa receives shining silver dakṣiṇā after śrāddha; the donor offers with humility; a subtle cosmic vignette shows Svayambhū creating metals, with silver emerging luminous.

Characters & Entities

• Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• Rūpya (silver)
• Dakṣiṇā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity given with sacred intent completes the rite; dakṣiṇā is not an add-on but a dharmic fulfillment of śrāddha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named here; the verse is a normative statement within the Tīrthamāhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes silver as an appropriate dakṣiṇā in śrāddha for ensuring proper satisfaction/completion.