Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

राज्ञ्यास्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा नारदो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । अन्येषां दीयतां भद्रे ये द्विजाः क्षीणवृत्तयः

Transliteration

rājñyāstu vacanaṃ śrutvā nārado vākyamabravīt | anyeṣāṃ dīyatāṃ bhadre ye dvijāḥ kṣīṇavṛttayaḥ

Translation

அரசியின் சொற்களை கேட்ட நாரதர் கூறினார்— “பத்ரே, இதை மற்றவர்களுக்கு அளிக்கவும்; வாழ்வாதாரம் குறைந்துள்ள அந்தத் த்விஜப் பிராமணர்களுக்கே தானம் செய்யவும்।”

Word by Word

• राज्ञ्याः: of the queen
• राज्ञ्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्ञी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse marker (emphasis/contrast)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having heard’

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अन्येषाम्: to/for others (of others)
• अन्येषाम्: Sampradāna (Recipient—genitive of reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्यतः), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• दीयताम्: let (it) be given
• दीयताम्: Kriyā (Injunctive action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive): ‘let it be given’

• भद्रे: O auspicious lady
• भद्रे: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject of relative clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• द्विजाः: Brahmins/twice-born
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject—of implied ‘are’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• क्षीणवृत्तयः: of diminished livelihood/poor
• क्षीणवृत्तयः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीण + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘द्विजाः’)

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha-sphere (Revākhaṇḍa context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Royal queen (and court)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A queen in royal attire listens respectfully as sage Nārada, with vīṇā and ascetic marks, advises her to redirect gifts toward impoverished brāhmaṇas; attendants and a palace courtyard frame the ethical counsel.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Queen (Rājñī)
• Dwijas (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True charity is discerning: dāna should uplift those in genuine need rather than merely honor those already well-provided.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; this is a dharma-teaching within the Revā Khaṇḍa storyline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna is prescribed specifically for dvijas of diminished livelihood (kṣīṇavṛtti).