Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

प्रयच्छति द्विजातिभ्यो रत्नानि विविधानि च । इंद्रनीलमहानीलविद्रुमस्फटिकादि च

Transliteration

prayacchati dvijātibhyo ratnāni vividhāni ca | iṃdranīlamahānīlavidrumasphaṭikādi ca

Translation

เขาถวายทานแก่ทวิชะทั้งหลายด้วยรัตนะนานาชนิด—อินทระนีละ มหานีละ ปะการัง แก้วผลึก และอื่น ๆ

Word by Word

• प्रयच्छति: gives
• प्रयच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• द्विजातिभ्यः: to the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजातिभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• रत्नानि: gems
• रत्नानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विविधानि: various
• विविधानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural) — विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• इन्द्रनीलमहानीलविद्रुमस्फटिकादि: sapphires, dark-blue gems, coral, crystal, etc.
• इन्द्रनीलमहानीलविद्रुमस्फटिकादि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रनील + महानील + विद्रुम + स्फटिक + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular) — ‘आदि’समासेन समाहारः (collective)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A donor presents trays of gems—indranīla (sapphire), mahānīla, vidruma (coral), sphāṭika (crystal)—to seated Brahmins near a temple courtyard, with scribes recording gifts.

Characters & Entities

• Dvijāti (Brahmins)
• Indranīla
• Vidruma
• Sphaṭika

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna offered to worthy recipients is presented as a hallmark of dharma, converting worldly wealth into spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the māhātmya by portraying exemplary charity linked to sacred observances.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ratna-dāna—gifting precious stones to dvijāti (Brahmins)—is described.