Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

महोक्षांश्च सुवस्त्राणि भूस्थानान्याश्रयांस्तथा । दासीदासांस्तथा भृत्यान्दानानि विविधानि च

Transliteration

mahokṣāṃśca suvastrāṇi bhūsthānānyāśrayāṃstathā | dāsīdāsāṃstathā bhṛtyāndānāni vividhāni ca

Translation

അവർ മഹാവൃഷഭങ്ങളെയും ഉത്തമ വസ്ത്രങ്ങളെയും ഭൂസ്ഥലങ്ങളും വാസസ്ഥലങ്ങളും കൂടി നൽകി; ദാസിമാർ, ദാസർ, ഭൃത്യ-പരിചാരകർ—ഇങ്ങനെ നാനാവിധ ദാനങ്ങളും അർപ്പിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• महोक्षान्: great bulls/oxen
• महोक्षान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्षन्/उक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः: कर्मधारय (महा-उक्षान् = महावृषभान्)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सुवस्त्राणि: fine garments
• सुवस्त्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः: कर्मधारय (सु-वस्त्राणि = उत्तमवस्त्राणि)

• भूस्थानानि: landed properties/places on earth
• भूस्थानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भू-स्थानानि = भूमेः स्थानानि/भूमिस्थानानि)

• आश्रयान्: dwellings, shelters
• आश्रयान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• तथा: also; likewise
• तथा: Samuccaya/Adverbial
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), समुच्चय/तुल्यताबोधक

• दासीः: female servants
• दासीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दासी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• दासान्: male servants
• दासान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• तथा: also
• तथा: Samuccaya/Adverbial
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), समुच्चय/तुल्यताबोधक

• भृत्यान्: attendants, retainers
• भृत्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• दानानि: gifts, donations
• दानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• विविधानि: various
• विविधानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrator (contextually Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A continuation of the donation ceremony: great bulls, fine garments, land plots and dwellings symbolized by deed-scrolls/miniature house icons, and attendants/servants presented as part of royal endowment (depicted as retinue rather than commodification).

Characters & Entities

• Bulls
• Garments
• Land
• Dwellings
• Servants/attendants
• Dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Generosity expressed through practical support—clothing, shelter, land, and resources—is praised as tīrtha-based dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra, where such gifts are described as part of the holy narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna of multiple categories of goods and support resources (cattle, clothing, land, housing, attendants).