Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

सुविनीतं शीलयुतं तथा सोपस्करं हयम् । भूषयित्वा च विप्राय दद्याद्दक्षिणया सह

Transliteration

suvinītaṃ śīlayutaṃ tathā sopaskaraṃ hayam | bhūṣayitvā ca viprāya dadyāddakṣiṇayā saha

Translation

സുവിനീതവും ശീലസമ്പന്നവും ഉപകരണങ്ങളോടുകൂടിയ കുതിരയെ അലങ്കരിച്ച് ബ്രാഹ്മണന് യഥോചിത ദക്ഷിണയോടുകൂടെ ദാനം ചെയ്യണം।

Word by Word

• सुविनीतम्: well-trained
• सुविनीतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुविनीत (कृदन्त; सु + वि + नी धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (हयम्)

• शीलयुतम्: endowed with good conduct
• शीलयुतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीलयुत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; शील + युत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थे (adverb: likewise)

• सोपस्करम्: with equipment
• सोपस्करम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सोपस्कर (प्रातिपदिक; स + उपस्कर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• हयम्: a horse
• हयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• भूषयित्वा: having adorned
• भूषयित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) = ‘having adorned’

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

• विप्राय: to a brāhmaṇa
• विप्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (recipient)

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

• दक्षिणया: with a fee/donation (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सहार्थे करण (instrumental with saha)

• सह: together with
• सह: Avyaya (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable: with)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cakratīrtha (contextual)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas addressed as ‘dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ’

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at Dvārakā prepares a decorated, bridled horse with saddle and ornaments; a brāhmaṇa stands receiving the gift with ritual honor and dakṣiṇā near a sacred waterbody/ghāṭa.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dāna is completed by propriety: worthy gifts, respectful presentation, and dakṣiṇā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader glorification belongs to Dvārakā’s Cakratīrtha-centered adhyāya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Donate an adorned, equipped, well-trained horse to a brāhmaṇa, along with dakṣiṇā.