Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

द्विजाय वेदविज्ञाय गुणिने निर्मलात्मने । विष्णुभक्ताय विदुषे आनृशंस्यरताय च

Transliteration

dvijāya vedavijñāya guṇine nirmalātmane | viṣṇubhaktāya viduṣe ānṛśaṃsyaratāya ca

Translation

Hendaklah diberikan kepada dwija yang mengetahui Veda, yang berakhlak mulia dan berhati suci; kepada orang berilmu yang berbhakti kepada Viṣṇu, serta kepada yang tekun dalam belas kasih—(kepada merekalah pemberian itu patut ditujukan).

Word by Word

• द्विजाय: to a twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th); एकवचन

• वेदविज्ञाय: to one knowledgeable in the Veda
• वेदविज्ञाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + विज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वेदे विज्ञः/वेदं विजानाति इति); पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying द्विजाय)

• गुणिने: to a virtuous one
• गुणिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण

• निर्मलात्मने: to one of pure soul
• निर्मलात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय: ‘निर्मलः आत्मा यस्य’); पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• विष्णुभक्ताय: to a devotee of Vishnu
• विष्णुभक्ताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘विष्णोः भक्तः’); पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• विदुषे: to a learned man
• विदुषे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति; एकवचन (विद्वस्-शब्दस्य विशेष-रूपम्: विदुषे)

• आनृशंस्यरताय: to one devoted to compassion/non-cruelty
• आनृशंस्यरताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आनृशंस्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी/षष्ठी-भाव: ‘आनृशंस्ये रतः’); पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction: “and”)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced: Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa context—Brahmā addressing Nārada)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A donor respectfully offers the cow-gift to a serene brāhmaṇa: Veda manuscripts or palm-leaf texts nearby; the recipient bears Vaiṣṇava marks and a compassionate demeanor; the setting suggests a tīrtha precinct in Ayodhyā.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The fruit of charity depends not only on the gift but also on the worthiness and virtue of the recipient.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā, where dharmic giving is guided by clear standards of worthy recipients.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pātra-parīkṣā: selecting a qualified recipient—Veda-knowing, pure, virtuous, Viṣṇu-devoted, compassionate.