Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 191

Devanagari script

इन्द्रादयोऽपि ये देवा यज्ञैराप्याययंति ते । न यजंति द्विजा यज्ञान्भिक्षादानेन तुष्यसि

Transliteration

indrādayo'pi ye devā yajñairāpyāyayaṃti te | na yajaṃti dvijā yajñānbhikṣādānena tuṣyasi

Translation

Até Indra e os demais deuses são nutridos pelos sacrifícios; mas Tu não desejas os sacrifícios realizados pelos duas-vezes-nascidos—antes, Te comprazes na dádiva da esmola (dāna).

Word by Word

• indrādayaḥ: Indra and others
• indrādayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indra (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (indra-ādi = Indra and others)

• api: also, even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक निपात (also/even)

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• devāḥ: gods
• devāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• yajñaiḥ: by sacrifices
• yajñaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• āpyāyayanti: they nourish/strengthen
• āpyāyayanti: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + pyai (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; णिजन्त (causative) प्रयोगः

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक निपात (negation)

• yajanti: they sacrifice/worship
• yajanti: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yaj (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• dvijāḥ: twice-born (Brahmins)
• dvijāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• yajñān: sacrifices
• yajñān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• bhikṣā-dānena: by giving alms
• bhikṣā-dānena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhikṣā (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (bhikṣāyāḥ dānam = giving alms)

• tuṣyasi: you are pleased
• tuṣyasi: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tuṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Viṣṇu (continuing the address to Maheśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Maheśvara (Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contrast tableau: Vedic altar with priests and offerings in the background; in the foreground, a pilgrim offers food/alms to a mendicant and the poor near a temple gate, while Śiva’s presence is subtly indicated as approving.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Devas
• Dvi-jāḥ (twice-born)
• Maheśvara (implied addressee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is portrayed as readily pleased by compassion and charity; inner dharma expressed as dāna can surpass formal ritual in devotional value.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpathakṣetra in the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bhikṣā-dāna—giving alms/charity—as a Śaiva-pleasing practice; yajña is mentioned by contrast.