Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

आपस्त्वपि न देयानि नववस्तूनि सर्वथा । अन्वये सति सर्वस्वं दारांश्च शरणागतान्

Transliteration

āpastvapi na deyāni navavastūni sarvathā | anvaye sati sarvasvaṃ dārāṃśca śaraṇāgatān

Translation

ఆపదలోనైనా ఈ తొమ్మిది వస్తువులను ఎట్టి పరిస్థితుల్లోనూ దానం చేయరాదు. వంశం కొనసాగుతున్నప్పుడు సర్వస్వమును, భార్యను, శరణాగతులను ఇవ్వకూడదు.

Word by Word

• आपः: waters
• आपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘जलानि/आपः’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• देयानि: should be given
• देयानि: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्, देय)
• Form: कृदन्त (देय), विधिलिङ्गार्थे/कर्तव्यता; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘देयानि’ = ‘to be given/should be given’

• नववस्तूनि: new items/things
• नववस्तूनि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: ‘नवानि वस्तूनि’

• सर्वथा: in every way/at all
• सर्वथा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अन्वये: in (one’s) lineage/descendants
• अन्वये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘वंश/सन्तति’ अर्थे

• सति: when there is/while existing
• सति: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु) → सत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: सत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present participle); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘सति’ = ‘being/when there is’ (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)

• सर्वस्वम्: all one’s property/everything
• सर्वस्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘सर्वं स्वम्’ = ‘सम्पूर्णं धनम्’

• दारान्: wife (lit. wives)
• दारान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; ‘पत्नी’ अर्थे बहुवचनप्रयोगः

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• शरणागतान्: those who have sought refuge
• शरणागतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘शरणं गताः’

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer/audience within Kāśī discourse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dharma-teacher in Kāśī instructs householders: charity is praised but bounded; a supplicant seeks refuge while the householder protects dependents and maintains household order.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is not reckless renunciation: one must protect dependents and uphold responsibility even while practicing generosity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī Khaṇḍa setting remains in the background; the verse is normative guidance rather than site-description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It sets ethical limits on dāna—warning against giving away protected persons or total assets irresponsibly.