Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

किं दानैर्विविधैर्दत्तैः किं यज्ञैश्च सुविस्तरैः । किं तीर्थैर्विविधैहोमैस्तपोभिः किं च कष्टदैः

Transliteration

kiṃ dānairvividhairdattaiḥ kiṃ yajñaiśca suvistaraiḥ | kiṃ tīrthairvividhaihomaistapobhiḥ kiṃ ca kaṣṭadaiḥ

Translation

ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଦାନ ଦେଇ କି ଲାଭ, ଏବଂ ବିସ୍ତୃତ ଯଜ୍ଞରେ କି ଆବଶ୍ୟକତା? ନାନା ତୀର୍ଥଯାତ୍ରା, ହୋମ ଓ କଷ୍ଟଦାୟକ ତପରେ ମଧ୍ୟ କି ପ୍ରୟୋଜନ?

Word by Word

• किम्: what (use/point)
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• दानैः: by/with gifts
• दानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (दानैः)

• दत्तैः: given
• दत्तैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → दत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (दानैः)

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• यज्ञैः: by sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

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

• सुविस्तरैः: very elaborate
• सुविस्तरैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक) → सुविस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (यज्ञैः)

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• तीर्थैः: by pilgrimages/sacred places
• तीर्थैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (तीर्थैः/होमैः)

• होमैः: by oblations/fire-rites
• होमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तपोभिः: by austerities
• तपोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• कष्टदैः: pain-giving, arduous
• कष्टदैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कष्टद (प्रातिपदिक) [कष्ट + द (ददाति-समर्थ) ]
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (तपोभिः/कर्माणि implied)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) emphasizing comparative merit (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-sage addressing a king, gesturing away from piles of ritual paraphernalia—yajña implements, homa fires, travel gear—toward a single Śiva shrine lamp symbolizing concentrated merit.

Characters & Entities

• Dāna
• Yajña
• Tīrtha
• Homa
• Tapas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a highly sanctified setting, one focused observance can outweigh numerous complex religious acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Implicitly the Arbuda-kṣetra/Acaleśa context, where a particular Phālguna observance is being elevated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new prescription; it rhetorically devalues other acts in comparison to the upcoming/ongoing Phālguna-anta Caturdaśī practice.