Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 98

Devanagari script

यदि लभ्येत सत्पात्रं तदा दद्याद्धनादिकम् । नो चेत्संकल्पपूर्वं तु विशिष्टं पात्रमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

yadi labhyeta satpātraṃ tadā dadyāddhanādikam | no cetsaṃkalpapūrvaṃ tu viśiṣṭaṃ pātramuttamam

Translation

Jika satpātra (penerima yang layak) diperoleh, maka berikanlah harta dan seumpamanya. Jika tidak, maka terlebih dahulu lakukan saṅkalpa dengan khusyuk dan tetapkan seorang penerima yang khusus lagi utama (untuk kemudian diserahkan).

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय; शर्तार्थ (conditional particle: if)

• लभ्येत: is obtained/should be found
• लभ्येत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; सम्भावना

• सत्पात्रम्: a worthy recipient
• सत्पात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपेण (object)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (Temporal modifier/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

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

• धनादिकम्: wealth and the like
• धनादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + क (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (धनम् आदि यस्य तत्)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• चेत्: if (not), otherwise
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (else/if however)

• संकल्पपूर्वम्: after making a resolve beforehand
• संकल्पपूर्वम्: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संकल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषणम् (with prior intention/resolve)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; विरोध/विशेषार्थ (but/indeed)

• विशिष्टम्: distinguished/specified
• विशिष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशिष्ट (कृदन्त; √शिष्/√शास्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘पात्रम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पात्रम्: recipient (vessel/person)
• पात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘पात्रम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (continuing the instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setutīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages (munipuṅgavas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at Setu consults a sage; lacking a worthy recipient, he performs saṅkalpa with water in hand, mentally designating a specific learned recipient back home, while holding the gift aside for later.

Characters & Entities

• Setu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right intention (saṅkalpa) safeguards dharma when ideal conditions are unavailable, ensuring charity remains properly directed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction belongs to Setu-kṣetra’s māhātmya context, where dāna is treated as a major spiritual practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

If satpātra is present, give immediately; otherwise, make saṅkalpa and earmark a specific worthy recipient for later offering.