Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

धनाध्यक्षः प्रचिक्षेप स्वर्गेप्सुः स्वधनं यथा । मुक्तायां वै नादोऽभूत्प्रलये यथा

Transliteration

dhanādhyakṣaḥ pracikṣepa svargepsuḥ svadhanaṃ yathā | muktāyāṃ vai nādo'bhūtpralaye yathā

Translation

ธนาธยักษะเหวี่ยงมันออกไป ดุจผู้ปรารถนาสวรรค์สละทรัพย์ของตนเป็นทาน ครั้นปล่อยออกแล้วก็บังเกิดเสียงกึกก้อง ราวเสียงในกาลปรลัย

Word by Word

• धनाध्यक्षः: the superintendent of wealth (Kubera)
• धनाध्यक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन + अध्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रचिक्षेप: hurled forth
• प्रचिक्षेप: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• स्वर्गेप्सुः: desiring heaven
• स्वर्गेप्सुः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग + इप्सु (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying) धनाध्यक्षः; इप्सु = desiderative adjective (‘desiring’)

• स्वधनम्: one's own wealth
• स्वधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + धन (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Upamana (Simile marker/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle: ‘as/like’)

• मुक्तायाम्: when/while (it was) released; in the release (of the weapon)
• मुक्तायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis/निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• नादः: a sound, roar
• नादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अभूत्: arose, was
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• प्रलये: at the dissolution (cosmic deluge)
• प्रलये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Upamana (Simile marker/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle: ‘as/like’)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kubera hurls the great mace with the same decisiveness as a pious donor gives away his own treasure for heaven; the release produces a terrifying roar like pralaya.

Characters & Entities

• Kubera (Dhanādhyakṣa/Vaiśravaṇa)
• Pralaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna (self-giving) is praised as a heaven-leading virtue; even in battle-poetry the Purāṇa elevates renunciation over possession.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; it uses ethical comparison (dāna for svarga) within a narrative scene.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, the merit of dāna (charitable giving) is invoked, though no specific rite, time, or item is prescribed.