Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

तस्माद्ये गूढतपसो गूढस्वाध्यायसाधकाः । स्वदारनिरताः शांतास्तेषु दत्तं सदाऽक्षयम्

Transliteration

tasmādye gūḍhatapaso gūḍhasvādhyāyasādhakāḥ | svadāraniratāḥ śāṃtāsteṣu dattaṃ sadā'kṣayam

Translation

ฉะนั้น ทานใดที่ถวายแก่ผู้มีตบะอันเร้นลับ ผู้บำเพ็ญสวาธยายอย่างสงบ ผู้ยินดีในคู่ครองอันชอบธรรมของตนและมีใจสงัด ทานนั้นย่อมเป็นทานอักษัย ไม่เสื่อมสูญตลอดกาล

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्त्यन्तम् अव्ययीभाववत् कारणार्थे (therefore)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्धसूचकः

• गूढतपसः: whose austerity is hidden/quiet
• गूढतपसः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गूढ-तपस् (प्रातिपदिक; गूढ + तपस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (ये इत्यस्य)

• गूढस्वाध्यायसाधकाः: practitioners of quiet/hidden self-study
• गूढस्वाध्यायसाधकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गूढ-स्वाध्याय-साधक (प्रातिपदिक; गूढ + स्वाध्याय + साधक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘ये’ इत्यस्य विशेष्य/विशेषणभावः

• स्वदारनिरताः: devoted to their own wives
• स्वदारनिरताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व-दार-निरत (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + दार + निरत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• शान्ताः: peaceful; self-controlled
• शान्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शम् + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तम्; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• तेषु: to/among them
• तेषु: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचनम्

• दत्तम्: a gift given
• दत्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘दानम्’ इत्यर्थे (that which is given)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of time)

• अक्षयम्: imperishable
• अक्षयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-क्षय (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘दत्तम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene hermitage scene: a humble tapasvin absorbed in svādhyāya receives a simple offering; the gift transforms into an endless stream of light labeled ‘akṣaya’.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity becomes inexhaustible when offered to recipients marked by quiet tapas, steady svādhyāya, fidelity, and inner peace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; the focus is on dharma criteria for worthy recipients of dāna.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (charitable giving) is prescribed—specifically to disciplined, peaceful, and faithful practitioners—promising akṣaya (imperishable) merit.