Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

शूद्रे समगुणं दानं वैश्ये तद्द्विगुणं स्मृतम् । श्रोत्रिये तच्च साहस्रमनन्तं चाग्निहोत्रिके

Transliteration

śūdre samaguṇaṃ dānaṃ vaiśye taddviguṇaṃ smṛtam | śrotriye tacca sāhasramanantaṃ cāgnihotrike

Translation

ทานที่ให้แก่ศูทร ให้ผลบุญเท่ากับทานนั้น; ให้แก่ไวศยะ นับว่าได้ผลเป็นสองเท่า; ให้แก่ศฺโรตริยะผู้ทรงเวท ย่อมเป็นพันเท่า; และให้แก่อัคนิโหตริผู้บูชาไฟ ผลบุญกล่าวว่าไร้ขอบเขต

Word by Word

• शूद्रे: in the case of a Śūdra
• शूद्रे: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• सम-गुणम्: of equal measure
• सम-गुणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (समः गुणः) विशेषणम् (दानम्)

• दानम्: gift; donation
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वैश्ये: in the case of a Vaiśya
• वैश्ये: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्-द्वि-गुणम्: that (gift) as double
• तत्-द्वि-गुणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (द्विगुणम्) + तत्-विशेषण; विशेषणम् (दानम्)

• स्मृतम्: is regarded (as)
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (Copular/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावे ‘is considered’

• श्रोत्रिये: in the case of a learned Vedic Brahmin
• श्रोत्रिये: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Anuvritti (Carry-over/अनुवृत्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र ‘तत्’ = ‘that (gift)’ (अनुवृत्ति)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• साहस्रम्: a thousandfold
• साहस्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम् (दानम्)

• अनन्तम्: endless; infinite
• अनन्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (दानम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अग्निहोत्रिके: in the case of an Agnihotrin (one who maintains the agnihotra)
• अग्निहोत्रिके: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निहोत्रिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four sequential panels: donor giving to (1) a laboring Śūdra, (2) a Vaiśya merchant, (3) a śrotriya reciting Veda, (4) an agnihotrin tending a blazing sacred fire; each panel shows an expanding aura of merit.

Characters & Entities

• Śūdra
• Vaiśya
• śrotriya
• agnihotrin
• agnihotra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The fruit of charity depends greatly on the recipient’s spiritual qualification and discipline, emphasizing pātratā (worthiness).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, within whose māhātmya the rules of dāna are taught as a path to enhanced merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Guidance on selecting recipients for dāna—especially śrotriyas and agnihotrins for highest spiritual return.