Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 165

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । दर्भांस्तिलानक्षतांश्च तोयं चैतैः सुसंयुतम् । कस्मात्प्रदीयते दानं ज्ञातुमिच्छामि कारणम्

Transliteration

rājovāca | darbhāṃstilānakṣatāṃśca toyaṃ caitaiḥ susaṃyutam | kasmātpradīyate dānaṃ jñātumicchāmi kāraṇam

Translation

Sinabi ng Hari: “Bakit ang kawanggawa ay ibinibigay na kasama ang damong darbha, mga butil ng linga, akṣata (buong butil na hindi basag), at tubig, na pinagsama nang maayos? Nais kong malaman ang dahilan.”

Word by Word

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (राजन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (speech act)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• darbhān: darbha grasses
• darbhān: Karma (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• tilān: sesame seeds
• tilān: Karma (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• akṣatān: unbroken rice grains
• akṣatān: Karma (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• toyam: water
• toyam: Karma (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• etaiḥ: with these
• etaiḥ: Karana (instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन

• su-saṃyutam: well-combined/mixed
• su-saṃyutam: Karma (object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग) + saṃ-yuj (युज् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (toyam/dravya-samūha)

• kasmāt: from what (cause)? why?
• kasmāt: Hetu (cause: from what reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• pradīyate: is given
• pradīyate: Kriya (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-dā (दा धातु)
• Form: लट्; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• dānam: gift/charity
• dānam: Karma (object/subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• jñātum: to know
• jñātum: Prayojana (purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (ज्ञा धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: कृदन्त; तुमुनन्त (infinitive)

• icchāmi: I wish
• icchāmi: Kriya (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (इष् धातु)
• Form: लट्; परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• kāraṇam: the reason
• kāraṇam: Karma (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Rājā (the King)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahākāla (as respondent)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king gestures toward a ritual tray holding darbha, sesame, unbroken rice, and a water vessel, asking Mahākāla for the reason; attentive assembly of priests.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā
• Darbha
• Tila
• Akṣata
• Toya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes knowing the ‘why’ behind ritual details; inquiry supports correct practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is stated in this verse; it introduces a ritual-technical question.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna is commonly accompanied by darbha, tila, akṣata, and water—prompting an explanation of their purpose.