Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

पाणिपात्रस्य मे ह्यम्ब भिक्षां देह्यवरोधतः । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य पाणिपात्रस्य बालिका

Transliteration

pāṇipātrasya me hyamba bhikṣāṃ dehyavarodhataḥ | tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya pāṇipātrasya bālikā

Translation

“แม่เอ๋ย โปรดให้ทานแก่บาตรในมือของข้าเถิด ข้าถูกกั้นอยู่ที่ประตู” ครั้นสาวน้อยได้ยินถ้อยคำของผู้ถือบาตรนั้น…

Word by Word

• पाणिपात्रस्य: of the hand-bowl (begging bowl)
• पाणिपात्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—पाणौ पात्रम् (पाणिपात्रम्)

• मे: my; to me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन (enclitic)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• अम्ब: O mother/dear lady
• अम्ब: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

• भिक्षाम्: alms
• भिक्षाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• देहि: give
• देहि: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अवरोधतः: from the inner apartments (harem)
• अवरोधतः: Apādāna (अपादान/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवरोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; (अवरोध = अन्तःपुर/स्त्रीगृह)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वचनम्)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• वचनम्: speech; words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of śrutvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पाणिपात्रस्य: of the hand-bowl (beggar)
• पाणिपात्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• बालिका: the girl
• बालिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Agni (Havyavāṭ), speaking within the narrative (contextual, as he ‘spoke’ in the prior verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (ethical teaching embedded in narrative)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Agni, in a beggar-like guise associated with a hand-bowl, calls out ‘Mother, give me alms’ from the doorway; a young maiden hears him, poised between compassion and hesitation.

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Havyavāṭ)
• Bālikā (young maiden, unnamed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna and hospitality are portrayed as dharmic responses even within divine settings—alms-giving signifies auspiciousness and right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The scene occurs at Śiva’s inner precinct/threshold in the Kedāra narrative environment, reinforcing the sanctity of the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bhikṣā/dāna (giving alms) is explicitly requested, highlighting the virtue of charitable giving.