Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

ईश्वराणां समादिष्टं कायक्लेशभयात्मनाम् । पुरश्चरणमेतद्धि दानं तौल्यसमुद्भवम्

Transliteration

īśvarāṇāṃ samādiṣṭaṃ kāyakleśabhayātmanām | puraścaraṇametaddhi dānaṃ taulyasamudbhavam

Translation

جسمانی مشقت سے ڈرنے والوں کے لیے ربّانی ہستیوں نے یہ تول سے پیدا ہونے والا دان مقرر کیا ہے؛ بے شک یہی ان کا پُرشچرن (مکمل تمہیدی سادھنا) ہے۔

Word by Word

• ईश्वराणाम्: of the lords (deities)
• ईश्वराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• समादिष्टम्: enjoined
• समादिष्टम्: Karta (Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-दिś् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषणम् (enjoined)

• काय-क्लेश-भय-आत्मनाम्: of those whose nature is fear of bodily hardship
• काय-क्लेश-भय-आत्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय + क्लेश + भय + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (those whose nature is fear of bodily hardship)

• पुरः-चरणम्: a preparatory observance
• पुरः-चरणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरः (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः (preliminary practice/rite)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed/for)

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

• तौल्य-समुद्भवम्: arising from weighing (tulā)
• तौल्य-समुद्भवम्: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तौल्यम् (प्रातिपदिक; तुल्यभाव) + समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (arising from weighing/equivalence)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tulāpuruṣa-dāna (toullya-samudbhava dāna)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate divine injunction: celestial beings or Īśvara’s emissaries indicate a balance-scale donation to a frail devotee, suggesting a gentle path instead of harsh austerity.

Characters & Entities

• Puraścaraṇa
• Īśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma offers compassionate alternatives: when severe austerity is difficult, a great act of charity can fulfill the same religious completion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse, though it belongs to a tīrtha-māhātmya discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tulā-based donation is prescribed as a functional equivalent of puraścaraṇa for those unable to bear bodily austerities.