Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

रे बले किं त्वया मूढ कृतमस्ति जुगुप्सितम् । अविद्यमाने ह्यर्थे हि किं ददासि परमात्मने । औदार्येण हि किं कार्यमल्पकेन त्वयाधुना

Transliteration

re bale kiṃ tvayā mūḍha kṛtamasti jugupsitam | avidyamāne hyarthe hi kiṃ dadāsi paramātmane | audāryeṇa hi kiṃ kāryamalpakena tvayādhunā

Translation

โอ บาลี! เจ้าคนโง่ เจ้าทำสิ่งที่น่าละอายอะไรลงไป? เมื่อเจ้าไม่เหลือสิ่งใดแล้ว เจ้าจะถวายอะไรแด่พระปรมาตมัน? และความเอื้อเฟื้อจะมีประโยชน์อันใดในตอนนี้ เมื่อเจ้าเหลือตัวเพียงเท่านี้?

Word by Word

• रे: O! (hey)
• रे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रे (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• बले: O Bali
• बले: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/करण), एकवचन

• मूढ: O fool/deluded one
• मूढ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; विशेष्य-सम्बोधन

• कृतम्: done
• कृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘done’

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• जुगुप्सितम्: disgusting, reprehensible
• जुगुप्सितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जुगुप्सित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अविद्यमाने: when (it is) not present
• अविद्यमाने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविद्यमान (कृदन्त; √विद्/विद् ‘to be/know’ + शतृ, नकार-प्रत्यय)
• Form: सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), एकवचन; पुं/नपुंसक-समासंगत; ‘being absent/non-existent’

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• अर्थे: in (the matter of) wealth/means
• अर्थे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• ददासि: you give
• ददासि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• परमात्मने: to the Supreme Self
• परमात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; ‘परमः आत्मा’

• औदार्येण: with generosity
• औदार्येण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औदार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/करण), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• कार्यम्: need/use, purpose
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातु से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• अल्पकेन: with a small (thing)
• अल्पकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; विशेषण (कार्यम्/औदार्येण सापेक्ष)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Garuḍa speaking to Bali (from verse 24 lead-in)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim-audience / sages in frame (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Garuḍa confronts Bali with sharp admonition; Bali appears diminished yet resolute, the atmosphere tense with ethical scrutiny.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Bali
• Paramātman (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It dramatizes the conflict between pride, fear, and dharma—questioning whether ‘generosity’ without capacity or clarity becomes reckless.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is directly named; the authority of the teaching is carried by the Kedārakhaṇḍa setting within the Skanda Purāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (giving) is discussed as a principle, but no specific donation-rite is prescribed.