Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 61
ऋषय ऊचुः । हस्त्वश्वरथदानानां शक्तिरस्ति तवाद्भुता । कस्मात्सक्तून्प्रमुक्त्वा त्वं नान्यद्दातुमिहेच्छसि
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | hastvaśvarathadānānāṃ śaktirasti tavādbhutā | kasmātsaktūnpramuktvā tvaṃ nānyaddātumihecchasi
Wika ng mga rishi: “Taglay mo ang kahanga-hangang kakayahang maghandog ng elepante, kabayo, at karwahe. Bakit, sa pagtabi sa mga iyon, dito ay nais mong magbigay ng ‘saktu’ lamang at wala nang iba?”
The sages (munayaḥ), led by Gālava
Tirtha: Acaleśvara/Arbuda-kṣetra (context)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Sages address Bhīma: though capable of gifting elephants, horses, and chariots, why does he choose only saktu here? The scene emphasizes the contrast between royal opulence and ascetic valuation of humble food-gifts.
FAQs
Purāṇic dharma often elevates the spiritually ‘fit’ offering—given with right context and faith—over sheer material magnitude.
The conversation concerns giving ‘here’ in the Arbuda sacred zone, in the devotional orbit of Acaleśvara.
The verse contrasts types of dāna (royal gifts vs saktu-dāna), implying a place-specific preference for saktu-dāna.