Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

बालत्वेऽपि च सोऽश्नाति यद्दत्तं दंभकारणात् । मन्युना मंतुना चैव तथैवार्थस्य कारणात्

Transliteration

bālatve'pi ca so'śnāti yaddattaṃ daṃbhakāraṇāt | manyunā maṃtunā caiva tathaivārthasya kāraṇāt

Translation

ആഡംബരത്തിനായി നൽകിയ ദാനത്തിന്റെ ഫലം അവൻ ബാല്യത്തിലുമേ അനുഭവിക്കുന്നു—അത് വൈരാഗ്യത്താൽ, കണക്കുകൂട്ടുന്ന മനസ്സാൽ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ലാഭഹേതുവാൽ നൽകിയതായാലും।

Word by Word

• बालत्वे: in childhood
• बालत्वे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of state)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अपि = even/also

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अश्नाति: eats/consumes (experiences)
• अश्नाति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• दत्तम्: given (as a gift)
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; यत्-विशेषण

• दंभकारणात्: from the motive of ostentation
• दंभकारणात्: Apadana (Cause/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दंभ (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (daṃbhasya kāraṇam), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ अपादान (cause)

• मन्युना: with anger
• मन्युना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु (instrumental of motive)

• मंतुना: with (self-)conceit/pride
• मंतुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मंतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण/हेतु (instrumental of motive)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• अर्थस्य: of wealth/for gain
• अर्थस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• कारणात्: from the motive/cause
• कारणात्: Apadana (Cause/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेतौ अपादान (cause)

Speaker

Deductive (Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa reporting a teaching)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (continuing address-context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A child in a wealthy home enjoys luxuries labeled as ‘fruit of past charity,’ while in the background a donor performs ostentatious giving with drums and banners; shadowy figures of Dambha and Lobha hover, indicating motive-taint.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Showy or self-interested giving yields quick, limited results rather than deep spiritual elevation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This ethical instruction is delivered within the Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Purification of intention in dāna—avoid ostentation, resentment, manipulation, and profit-seeking.