Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

धनवंतमदातारं दरिद्रं वाऽतपस्विनम् । उभावंभसि मोक्तव्यौ कंठे बद्धा महाशिलाम्

Transliteration

dhanavaṃtamadātāraṃ daridraṃ vā'tapasvinam | ubhāvaṃbhasi moktavyau kaṃṭhe baddhā mahāśilām

Translation

وہ امیر جو خیرات نہیں کرتا، اور وہ غریب جو عبادت نہیں کرتا—دونوں اس لائق ہیں کہ ان کے گلے میں بھاری پتھر باندھ کر پانی میں پھینک دیا جائے۔

Word by Word

• dhanavantam: wealthy
• dhanavantam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanavant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘धनवत्’ = wealthy

• a-dātāram: non-giver
• a-dātāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-dātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; नञ्-प्रत्यय (non-giver)

• daridram: a poor man
• daridram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daridra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Disjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (or)

• a-tapasvinam: one without austerity
• a-tapasvinam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-tapasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; नञ् (one without austerity/asceticism)

• ubhau: both
• ubhau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनम्; ‘both’

• ambhasi: in water
• ambhasi: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचनम्; अधिकरण (location)

• moktabyau: should be thrown
• moktabyau: Kriya (Predicate obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muc (धातु) + tavya (कृत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृत्य (gerundive/obligatory); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनम्; ‘to be thrown/released’

• kaṇṭhe: on the neck
• kaṇṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्; अधिकरण

• baddhā: tied
• baddhā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bandh (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘bound/tied’ (agreeing with śilām)

• mahā-śilām: a great stone
• mahā-śilām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + śilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः — ‘महती शिला’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: river (symbolic)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An allegorical judgment scene at a riverbank: a rich miser clutching coins and a poor man lounging without discipline; both are shown with a heavy stone tied at the neck, about to be cast into dark waters—symbolizing moral sinking.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Each person has a dharmic duty: the wealthy should give, and the poor should cultivate tapas; neglect of one’s capacity-bound duty is censured.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; it is a forceful ethical statement within the charity discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prescribes dāna for the wealthy and tapas (austerity/discipline) for those without wealth.