Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

अस्मै निरपराधाय शूलप्रोताय जंतवे । तृष्णार्दिताय दातव्यं द्विजसूनो त्वया जलम्

Transliteration

asmai niraparādhāya śūlaprotāya jaṃtave | tṛṣṇārditāya dātavyaṃ dvijasūno tvayā jalam

Translation

‘แก่สัตว์ผู้ไร้ความผิดนี้ ผู้ถูกเสียบอยู่บนหลักและถูกความกระหายเผาผลาญ—โอ บุตรพราหมณ์—เจ้าจงให้น้ำเถิด’

Word by Word

• अस्मै: to this (one)
• अस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/सामान्य, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• निरपराधाय: to the innocent (one)
• निरपराधाय: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरपराध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; विशेषण

• शूलप्रोताय: impaled on a spear
• शूलप्रोताय: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रोत (√प्रु/√प्रो?; प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; तृतीया/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषभावः (‘शूले प्रोतः’ = impaled on a stake/spear)

• जन्तवे: to the creature/person
• जन्तवे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

• तृष्णार्दिताय: tormented by thirst
• तृष्णार्दिताय: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृष्णा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्दित (√अर्द्, क्त; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (‘तृष्णया अर्दितः’)

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• दातव्यम्: Kriya (Predicate obligation/विधेय-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (ought to be given)

• द्विजसूनो: O brahmin’s son
• द्विजसूनो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘द्विजस्य सूनुः’)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/कर्ता-करणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सामान्य, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

Speaker

Rājā (king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra (context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king commands Aśokadatta to give water to a blameless being impaled and burning with thirst—an urgent injunction of mercy.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā (king)
• Aśokadatta
• Śūlaprota (impaled man)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Compassionate giving—especially water to the thirsty—is a direct expression of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu Kṣetra is the narrative setting; the episode teaches dharma within that sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Jala-dāna (the gift of water) to one afflicted by thirst.