Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

बलिना चैव दानानि दत्तान्यागत्य कार्तिके । हरिश्चन्द्रेण विधिना नलेन नहुषेण च

Transliteration

balinā caiva dānāni dattānyāgatya kārtike | hariścandreṇa vidhinā nalena nahuṣeṇa ca

Translation

ബലിയും കാർത്തികമാസത്തിൽ ഇവിടെ വന്ന് ദാനങ്ങൾ നൽകി; അതുപോലെ ഹരിശ്ചന്ദ്രൻ വിധിപൂർവ്വം, നലനും നഹുഷനും ദാനം ചെയ്തു।

Word by Word

• बलिना: by Bali
• बलिना: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle): emphasis ‘indeed/only’

• दानानि: gifts, donations
• दानानि: Karma (Object in passive/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• दत्तानि: given
• दत्तानि: Kriyā (Participial predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकालिक क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि ‘were given’ (दानानि)

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) ‘having come’

• कार्तिके: in (the month of) Kārttika
• कार्तिके: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; मास-नाम

• हरिश्चन्द्रेण: by Hariścandra
• हरिश्चन्द्रेण: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिश्चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विधिना: by the proper method, according to rule
• विधिना: Karaṇa (Means/manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• नलेन: by Nala
• नलेन: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• नहुषेण: by Nahuṣa
• नहुषेण: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नहुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/conjunction)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra (Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred coastal/riverine Prabhāsa landscape with a tīrtha-ghāṭa; royal figures (Bali, Hariścandra, Nala, Nahuṣa) arriving in Kārtika, offering gifts to brāhmaṇas under ritual canopies; lamps and autumnal clarity.

Characters & Entities

• Bali
• Kārtika
• Hariścandra
• Nala
• Nahuṣa
• Vastrāpatha
• Prabhāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna performed in a sacred place and sacred time (Kārtika) becomes exemplary dharma, followed even by famed kings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Vastrāpatha-kṣetra in Prabhāsa, presented as a renowned venue for Kārtika dāna.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (charitable giving) in the month of Kārtika, and doing so vidhinā—according to proper ritual procedure.