Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

दानानि च विशिष्टानि ददुरिष्टानि चापरे । दीनेभ्यः कृपणेभ्यश्च तपस्विभ्यो विशेषतः

Transliteration

dānāni ca viśiṣṭāni daduriṣṭāni cāpare | dīnebhyaḥ kṛpaṇebhyaśca tapasvibhyo viśeṣataḥ

Translation

ସେମାନେ ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ଦାନ ଦେଲେ; ଅନ୍ୟମାନେ ଗ୍ରହୀତାଙ୍କୁ ଇଷ୍ଟ ଲାଗୁଥିବା ଦାନ ମଧ୍ୟ ଅର୍ପଣ କଲେ—ଦୀନ, କୃପଣ ଏବଂ ବିଶେଷତଃ ତପସ୍ବୀମାନଙ୍କୁ।

Word by Word

• दानानि: gifts, donations
• दानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural (object)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विशिष्टानि: excellent, distinguished
• विशिष्टानि: Karma-anvaya (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशिष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘वि+शिष्’ → विशिष्ट; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural; विशेषण (दानानि)

• ददुः: gave
• ददुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; Perfect, 3rd person plural

• इष्टानि: desired, dear (offerings)
• इष्टानि: Karma-anvaya (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘इष्/यज् (इष्ट ‘desired/cherished’)’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural; विशेषण (दानानि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural (subject: ‘others’)

• दीनेभ्यः: to the poor
• दीनेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Dative/Ablative plural; अत्र सम्प्रदानार्थे चतुर्थी (to the poor)

• कृपणेभ्यः: to the wretched/miserly
• कृपणेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Dative/Ablative plural; सम्प्रदानार्थे चतुर्थी

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तपस्विभ्यः: to ascetics
• तपस्विभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Dative/Ablative plural; सम्प्रदानार्थे चतुर्थी

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Tīrthamāhātmya; exact speaker not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims distribute food, cloth, and coins to the poor and destitute near a ghat/temple courtyard; ascetics receive respectful offerings—water, alms, and cloth—while donors bow with humility.

Characters & Entities

• dāna (charity)
• dīna (poor)
• kṛpaṇa (destitute)
• tapasvin (ascetic)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-merit ripens through compassion—charity offered to the needy and to ascetics becomes a direct act of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The pilgrimage-kṣetra of Adhyāya 72; the verse focuses on tīrtha-associated charity rather than naming the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (charity), prioritizing dīnas, kṛpaṇas, and particularly tapasvins while residing in the sacred region.