Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

धर्मवापीं समासाद्य दानं दद्याद्विचक्षणः । कोटिधा वर्द्धते नित्यं ब्रह्मणो वचनं यथा

Transliteration

dharmavāpīṃ samāsādya dānaṃ dadyādvicakṣaṇaḥ | koṭidhā varddhate nityaṃ brahmaṇo vacanaṃ yathā

Translation

เมื่อไปถึงธรรมวาปี (บ่อน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์แห่งธรรมะ) แล้ว ผู้มีปัญญาพึงให้ทาน ทานนั้นย่อมเพิ่มพูนเป็นโกฏิเท่าอยู่เนืองนิตย์—ดังพระวาจาของพระพรหม

Word by Word

• धर्मवापीम्: a dharma-well (sacred well)
• धर्मवापीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + वापी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (धर्मस्य वापी)

• समासाद्य: having approached
• समासाद्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + आ + सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘समासाद्य’ = having approached

• दानम्: a gift, donation
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• विचक्षणः: a discerning person
• विचक्षणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृपद (agent noun)

• कोटिधा: a crore-fold, immensely
• कोटिधा: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + धा (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner/degree)

• वर्द्धते: increases
• वर्द्धते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययवत् (adverb: always)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā / of Brahman
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वचनम्: statement, word
• वचनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यथा: as, just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle: as)

Speaker

Unspecified (tīrtha-māhātmya style instruction within Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmavāpī

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied king (rājan)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred well with steps, shaded by trees; pilgrims and a wise donor offering alms to recipients; a subtle divine aura suggesting Brahmā’s sanction, with water shimmering as a merit-source.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmavāpī
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Giving at a consecrated sacred site magnifies merit; discernment means choosing dharmic places and acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmavāpī, a sacred well/tīrtha within the Dharmāraṇya tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Approach Dharmavāpī and perform dāna (charitable giving), said to yield crore-fold increase in merit.