Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

आपत्स्वपि न देयानि नववस्तूनि पंडितैः । यो ददाति स मूढात्मा प्रायाश्चित्तीयते नरः

Transliteration

āpatsvapi na deyāni navavastūni paṃḍitaiḥ | yo dadāti sa mūḍhātmā prāyāścittīyate naraḥ

Translation

ஆபத்திலும் பண்டிதர்கள் ‘புதிய பொருட்களை’ தானமாக அளிக்கக் கூடாது. அளிப்பவன் மயக்கமுற்றவன்; அவனுக்கு பிராயச்சித்தம் செய்ய வேண்டியதாகும்.

Word by Word

• आपत्सु: in calamities
• आपत्सु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपवादबोधक-अव्यय (even/also)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• देयानि: (things) to be given
• देयानि: Karta (Predicate nominative/प्रथमा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; यत्, √दा)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विधेय (to be given)

• नववस्तूनि: new items/things
• नववस्तूनि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव-वस्तु (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (नवानि वस्तूनि)

• पण्डितैः: by the wise
• पण्डितैः: Kartr̥ (Agent in passive sense/कर्ता-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्डित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मूढात्मा: a foolish person
• मूढात्मा: Karta (Subject complement/प्रथमा-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (मूढः आत्मा यस्य/मूढ आत्मा)

• प्रायाश्चित्तीयते: incurs/undergoes expiation
• प्रायाश्चित्तीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रायश्चित्तीय (नामधातु from प्रायश्चित्त)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; नामधातु-प्रयोगः (to undergo expiation)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: General instruction within king-directed discourse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A distressed householder during famine or hardship considers giving away a new garment or newly bought vessel; a sage restrains him, pointing to hungry children/elders; in the corner, a small fire-altar symbolizes prāyaścitta.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna must be discerning; reckless giving that violates dharma can require expiation rather than producing merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is named; the verse is a general dharma guideline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Do not donate essential ‘new goods’ even in hardship; improper giving may entail prāyaścitta (atonement).