Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

दधि क्षीराद्दशगुणं घृतं दध्नो दशोत्तरम् । घृताद्दशगुणं क्षौद्रं क्षौद्राद्दशगुणोत्तरम्

Transliteration

dadhi kṣīrāddaśaguṇaṃ ghṛtaṃ dadhno daśottaram | ghṛtāddaśaguṇaṃ kṣaudraṃ kṣaudrāddaśaguṇottaram

Translation

ക്ഷീരത്തേക്കാൾ ദധിയുടെ പുണ്യം പത്തിരട്ടി; ദധിയേക്കാൾ ഘൃതം പത്തിരട്ടി അധികം; ഘൃതത്തേക്കാൾ ക്ഷൗദ്രം (തേൻ) പത്തിരട്ടി പുണ്യദായകം; തേനെക്കാൾ അപ്പുറവും വീണ്ടും പത്തിരട്ടി വർധനയെന്ന് പറയുന്നു।

Word by Word

• दधि: curd, yogurt
• दधि: Karta/Topic (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्षीरात्: from milk
• क्षीरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दशगुणम्: tenfold
• दशगुणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण) (predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश-गुण (प्रातिपदिक; दश + गुण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• घृतम्: ghee
• घृतम्: Karta/Topic (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• दध्नः: from curd
• दध्नः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular) (वैकल्पिकं: षष्ठी singular in some readings; here as Ablative ‘from curd’)

• दशोत्तरम्: ten more; exceeding by ten
• दशोत्तरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण) (predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश-उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक; दश + उत्तर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• घृतात्: from ghee
• घृतात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दशगुणम्: tenfold
• दशगुणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश-गुण (प्रातिपदिक; दश + गुण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्षौद्रम्: honey
• क्षौद्रम्: Karta/Topic (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्षौद्रात्: from honey
• क्षौद्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दशगुणोत्तरम्: tenfold and more; exceeding by tenfold
• दशगुणोत्तरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण) (predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश-गुण-उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक; दश + गुण + उत्तर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced: Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa narrative voice addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpasaत्तम (best of kings) implied across the passage

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequence tableau: four vessels in a row—milk, curd, ghee, honey—each offered in turn to Kṛṣṇa’s icon; scribal-like depiction of ‘tenfold’ rising as stepped aureoles behind the vessels.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa (context)
• Abhiṣeka substances: milk, curd, ghee, honey

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic tradition grades offerings by increasing ritual potency, encouraging more refined devotional giving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā by context; the verse supports Dvārakā-centered worship of Kṛṣṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Guidance on abhiṣeka/pūjā liquids (milk, curd, ghee, honey) and their comparative merit.