Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

पंचरत्नं ततो देयं सप्तधान्यं द्विजातये । दीनांधकृपणानां च दानं दद्यात्स्वशक्तितः

Transliteration

paṃcaratnaṃ tato deyaṃ saptadhānyaṃ dvijātaye | dīnāṃdhakṛpaṇānāṃ ca dānaṃ dadyātsvaśaktitaḥ

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം ദ്വിജാതിക്കു ‘പഞ്ചരത്നം’യും ‘സപ്തധാന്യം’യും ദാനം ചെയ്യണം; ദീനർ, അന്ധർ, കൃപണ-ദരിദ്രർ എന്നിവർക്കും സ്വശക്തിയനുസരിച്ച് ദാനം നൽകണം।

Word by Word

• पञ्चरत्नम्: (a set of) five gems
• पञ्चरत्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चरत्न (प्रातिपदिक) = पञ्च + रत्न
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘five gems’ (as a set)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Desha-Kala (Adverbial/देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb ‘then/thereafter’

• देयम्: should be given
• देयम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधेयार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be given/should be given’

• सप्तधान्यम्: seven grains (seven kinds)
• सप्तधान्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तधान्य (प्रातिपदिक) = सप्त + धान्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘seven kinds of grain’

• द्विजातये: to a twice-born person
• द्विजातये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक) = द्वि + जाति
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; dative ‘to a twice-born (brāhmaṇa etc.)’

• दीनान्धकृपणानाम्: of the poor, blind, and destitute
• दीनान्धकृपणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीनान्धकृपण (प्रातिपदिक) = दीन + अन्ध + कृपण
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; genitive plural ‘of the poor, the blind, and the destitute’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात; conjunction ‘and’

• दानम्: charity
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative ‘gift/charity’

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should give’

• स्वशक्तितः: according to one’s ability
• स्वशक्तितः: Desha-Kala (Adverbial/देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) = स्व + शक्ति
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; ablatival adverb ‘according to one’s ability/from one’s capacity’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa/Sauti), narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (contextual) interlocutor(s) receiving the māhātmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in Dvārakā, after worship, presents a small casket of five gems and measures of seven grains to a seated dvija; nearby, the pilgrim distributes food and cloth to the poor, a blind person led by a staff, and a destitute family, with the sea-temple skyline in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Dvijāti (twice-born/brāhmaṇa)
• Dāna (charity)
• Pañcaratna
• Saptadhānya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-merit matures into compassion: charity, especially to the needy, is integral to Purāṇic dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction follows the Pañcanada tīrtha observance within the Dvārakā Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Give pañcaratna and saptadhānya to a dvijāti, and give additional charity to the poor and afflicted according to one’s means.