Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

भूमिदानं धनं धान्यं हस्त्यश्वकनकादिकम् । कपिलादानस्यैकस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम्

Transliteration

bhūmidānaṃ dhanaṃ dhānyaṃ hastyaśvakanakādikam | kapilādānasyaikasya kalāṃ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm

Translation

การถวายที่ดิน ทรัพย์สิน ธัญญาหาร ช้าง ม้า ทองคำ และสิ่งอื่นใด ล้วนไม่อาจเทียบได้แม้เพียงหนึ่งในสิบหกส่วนแห่งบุญของกปิลา-ทานเพียงครั้งเดียว

Word by Word

• भूमिदानम्: gift of land
• भूमिदानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूमेः दानम्)

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धान्यम्: grain
• धान्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हस्त्यश्वकनकादिकम्: elephants, horses, gold, and the like
• हस्त्यश्वकनकादिकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कनक (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (हस्त्यश्वकनकादीनां समाहारः)

• कपिलादानस्य: of the gift of a kapilā cow
• कपिलादानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिला (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कपिलायाः दानम्)

• एकस्य: of a single (one)
• एकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘एकस्य’ (of one/single)

• कलाम्: a fraction, a part
• कलाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

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

• अर्हन्ति: are worth, equal, deserve
• अर्हन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान/Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• षोडशीम्: sixteenth (part)
• षोडशीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘षोडशीम् (कलाम्)’ = ‘one-sixteenth part’

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A comparative tableau: land deed, heaps of grain, gold, elephants and horses shown as smaller side panels; the central panel shows kapilā-dāna radiating greater light, indicating superior merit.

Characters & Entities

• Kapilā-dāna
• Bhūmidāna
• Kanaka (gold)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Not all gifts are valued equally in Purāṇic dharma; certain offerings carry exceptional sanctity and transformative merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching remains within the Kapilātīrtha/Revā setting, but the verse chiefly praises kapilā-dāna itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied prescription is to prioritize kapilā-dāna, described as surpassing other common forms of charity.