Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58
Devanagari script
प्रयोजनमपेक्ष्यैव प्रसंगाद्यत्प्रदीयते । अनर्हेषु सरागेण कामदानं तदुच्यते
Transliteration
prayojanamapekṣyaiva prasaṃgādyatpradīyate | anarheṣu sarāgeṇa kāmadānaṃ taducyate
Translation
କୌଣସି ପ୍ରୟୋଜନ ଆଶା କରି, ଆସକ୍ତି ଓ ପ୍ରସଙ୍ଗବଶତଃ, ଅନର୍ହମାନଙ୍କୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଯେ ଦାନ ଦିଆଯାଏ—ତାହା ‘କାମଦାନ’ କୁହାଯାଏ।
Word by Word
प्रयोजनम्a purpose/motive
प्रयोजनम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रयोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
अपेक्ष्यexpecting/considering
अपेक्ष्य:
Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपेक्ष् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
Formक्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (absolutive), ‘having regard to/expecting’
एवindeed, only
एव:
Kriya-vishesana (Emphasis/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (अवधारण/निश्चय particle)
प्रसङ्गात्from circumstance, incidentally
प्रसङ्गात्:
Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रसङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन
यत्which (that)
यत्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक
प्रदीयतेis given
प्रदीयते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-दा (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
अनर्हेषुamong the unworthy
अनर्हेषु:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootअनर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन
सरागेणwith attachment/passion
सरागेण:
Karana (Manner/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootसराग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
कामदानम्kāma-giving
कामदानम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकाम + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः
तत्that
तत्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
उच्यतेis called
उच्यते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
Speaker
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A donor, emotionally stirred, hands over gifts to a flattering but unworthy recipient; the recipient’s posture suggests opportunism; a calm elder indicates discernment (viveka) as the missing element.
Characters & Entities
A
Anarha (unworthy recipient)FAQs
Charity motivated by desire and attachment—especially when given to the undeserving—diminishes dharmic purity.
No; the passage is a moral taxonomy of dāna.
Avoid desire-driven giving to unworthy recipients; give without expectation and with discernment.