Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

दर्भाक्षतमृद्गोमयदूर्वायज्ञोपवीतानि । तिलचर्मसूर्यपिटकं दत्त्वा ख्यातश्चिरं स्वर्गे

Transliteration

darbhākṣatamṛdgomayadūrvāyajñopavītāni | tilacarmasūryapiṭakaṃ dattvā khyātaściraṃ svarge

Translation

ദർഭ, അക്ഷതം, മണ്ണ്, ഗോമയം, ദൂർവ, യജ്ഞോപവീതം എന്നിവയും, എള്ള്, ചർമ്മം, സൂര്യഛത്രം (സൂര്യപിടകം) എന്നിവയും ദാനം ചെയ്താൽ, അവൻ സ്വർഗ്ഗത്തിൽ ദീർഘകാലം പ്രസിദ്ധനാകും।

Word by Word

• darbha-akṣata-mṛt-gomaya-dūrvā-yajñopavītāni: darbha grass, unbroken rice, clay, cow-dung, dūrvā grass, and sacred thread
• darbha-akṣata-mṛt-gomaya-dūrvā-yajñopavītāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darbha (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣata (प्रातिपदिक) + mṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + gomaya (प्रातिपदिक) + dūrvā (प्रातिपदिक) + yajñopavīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (Neuter, Accusative, Plural)

• tila-carma-sūrya-piṭakam: a bundle/packet of sesame, leather, and a sun-emblem (piṭaka)
• tila-carma-sūrya-piṭakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila (प्रातिपदिक) + carma (प्रातिपदिक) + sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + piṭaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (determinative list-like) (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• dattvā: having given
• dattvā: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund): 'having given'

• khyātaḥ: becomes renowned
• khyātaḥ: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khyā (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicative)

• ciram: for a long time
• ciram: Kala-adhikarana (Time extent/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cira (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावे)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• svarge: in heaven
• svarge: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Locative, Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A donor hands bundles of darbha and dūrvā, bowls of akṣata and clay, cakes of dried cow-dung, coils of sacred thread, sesame, and a folded parasol to temple attendants; celestial scribes record the merit as the donor is honored in svarga.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supporting sacred rites by donating ritual materials is itself a dharmic act that yields enduring heavenly honor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpatha-kṣetra, where such offerings are praised in its māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna of yajña-upakaraṇas: darbha, akṣata, yajñopavīta, sesame, and practical supports like a parasol.