Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

वैष्णवानां तु भक्तानां यत्फलं वेदवादिनाम् । पठतां वैष्णवं शास्त्रं वैष्णवानां तु यच्छताम्

Transliteration

vaiṣṇavānāṃ tu bhaktānāṃ yatphalaṃ vedavādinām | paṭhatāṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ śāstraṃ vaiṣṇavānāṃ tu yacchatām

Translation

அரசே! பக்தி கொண்ட வைஷ்ணவர்களுக்கு எத்தகைய பலனோ, அதுவே வேதத்தை உரைக்கும் அறிஞர்களுக்கும்; வைஷ்ணவ சாஸ்திரம் ஓதுவோருக்கும், வைஷ்ணவர்களுக்கு தானம் அளிப்போருக்கும் அதே பலன் உண்டு।

Word by Word

• वैष्णवानाम्: of Vaiṣṇavas
• वैष्णवानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• भक्तानाम्: of devotees
• भक्तानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; भज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• यत्: whatever; which
• यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative) विशेषणम् (qualifying फलम्)

• फलम्: fruit; result
• फलम्: Karta/Predicate-noun (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• वेदवादिनाम्: of Veda expounders
• वेदवादिनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; ‘वेदं वदन्ति’ (reciters/expounders of the Veda)

• पठताम्: of those who recite/read
• पठताम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ) ‘पठत्’; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• वैष्णवम्: Vaiṣṇava (pertaining to Viṣṇu)
• वैष्णवम्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying शास्त्रम्)

• शास्त्रम्: treatise; scripture
• शास्त्रम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• वैष्णवानाम्: of Vaiṣṇavas
• वैष्णवानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

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

• यच्छताम्: of those who give/bestow
• यच्छताम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यम् (धातु; यच्छति)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ) ‘यच्छत्’; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; दानार्थक-प्रयोग (giving)

Speaker

Unspecified (Dvārakā Māhātmya narrator addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (addressed ‘O king’ in translation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned assembly in Dvārakā: a Vaiṣṇava teacher recites śāstra; devotees listen; a king offers gifts to Vaiṣṇavas; Vedic palm-leaf manuscripts and tulasī present, linking learning, devotion, and charity.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiṣṇava
• Veda
• Vaiṣṇava-śāstra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion to Viṣṇu expressed through scripture-study and honoring Vaiṣṇava devotees yields Vedic-level merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding passage belongs to the Dvārakā Māhātmya within the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa, praising Dvārakā-centered Vaiṣṇava worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recitation/study of Vaiṣṇava scripture and dāna (giving) to Vaiṣṇavas.