Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

महादानप्रदो नित्यं ब्राह्मणानां महात्मनाम् । मृगयार्थं ययौ धीमान्स कदाचित्तपोवनम्

Transliteration

mahādānaprado nityaṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ mahātmanām | mṛgayārthaṃ yayau dhīmānsa kadācittapovanam

Translation

Baginda sentiasa mengurniakan mahādāna kepada para brāhmaṇa yang mulia. Pada suatu ketika, raja yang bijaksana itu pergi ke hutan tapovana untuk berburu.

Word by Word

• महादानप्रदः: giver of great gifts
• महादानप्रदः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-दान-प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to king); समासः—महद् दानं प्रददाति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of/for the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• महात्मनाम्: great-souled
• महात्मनाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (to ‘ब्राह्मणानाम्’)

• मृगयार्थम्: for hunting
• मृगयार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मृगया-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत्—‘मृगयायाः अर्थम्’ (for the sake of hunting)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• धीमान्: wise
• धीमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to ‘सः’)

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

• कदाचित्: once / at some time
• कदाचित्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• तपोवनम्: the penance-grove (hermitage forest)
• तपोवनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्-वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तपसां वनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Munis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, after giving generous gifts to brāhmaṇas, rides toward a dense tapovana for hunting; the forest is serene with hermitages, deer, and ascetics—creating contrast between royal hunt and ascetic peace.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• King Śaṅkara (implied)
• Tapovana (forest of austerities)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even powerful rulers are measured by generosity and reverence to holy persons; life’s turns begin when one enters spaces of tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse introduces a tapovana episode within Setukhaṇḍa, whose overarching sacred focus is Setu–Rāmeśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mahādāna—regular great charity to brāhmaṇas—is highlighted as a continuing dharmic practice.