Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

राजेन्द्र महिषीदानमथाष्टम्यां विशेषतः । य इच्छति सदाऽभीष्टमिह लोके परत्र च

Transliteration

rājendra mahiṣīdānamathāṣṭamyāṃ viśeṣataḥ | ya icchati sadā'bhīṣṭamiha loke paratra ca

Translation

ഹേ രാജേന്ദ്രാ! പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് അഷ്ടമിദിനത്തിൽ മഹിഷീദാനം ചെയ്യണം. ഇഹലോകത്തും പരലോകത്തും നിത്യമായി അഭീഷ്ടഫലം ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവൻ (ഇതു ചെയ്യട്ടെ).

Word by Word

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक; राजन् + इन्द्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (राज्ञाम् इन्द्रः)

• महिषीदानम्: the gift of a buffalo
• महिषीदानम्: Karma/Predicate nominal (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषीदान (प्रातिपदिक; महिषी + दान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महिष्याः दानम्)

• अथ: then/and now
• अथ: Discourse connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle)

• अष्टम्याम्: on the eighth lunar day (Aṣṭamī)
• अष्टम्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण (locative of time)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Modifier (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• इच्छति: desires
• इच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Modifier (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अभीष्टम्: the desired (thing)
• अभीष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभीष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √इष् + क्त, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मपद (desired object)

• इह: here
• इह: Modifier (देश-क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; देशाधिकरण

• परत्र: in the other world/afterlife
• परत्र: Modifier (देश-क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अन्यत्र/परलोके (adverb)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Pulastya (addressing the king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Piṇḍāraka

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājendra (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A kingly patron or pilgrim offers a buffalo-cow (mahiṣī) as dāna on Aṣṭamī near the tīrtha; priests recite mantras; the recipient accepts with reverence; the sacred water and shrine frame the act.

Characters & Entities

• Aṣṭamī
• Mahiṣī-dāna (buffalo donation)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna (charity) timed to sacred days amplifies both worldly welfare and spiritual destiny when aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Piṇḍāraka Tīrtha context continues; the prescription is part of its māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mahiṣī-dāna (donation of a she-buffalo), especially on Aṣṭamī.