Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

विशेषेण ददौ दानं ब्राह्मणेभ्यो महीपतिः । भूमिशायी प्रशांतात्मा षष्ठकालकृताशनः

Transliteration

viśeṣeṇa dadau dānaṃ brāhmaṇebhyo mahīpatiḥ | bhūmiśāyī praśāṃtātmā ṣaṣṭhakālakṛtāśanaḥ

Translation

خاص نیت کے ساتھ اس سرزمین کے مالک نے برہمنوں کو دان دیا؛ زمین پر سویا، دل سے پرسکون رہا، اور طویل وقفوں کے روزے کے بعد چھٹے وقت ہی غذا لیتا تھا۔

Word by Word

• विशेषेण: especially, in particular
• विशेषेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb); तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण प्रयोगः (instrumental-form used adverbially)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धा॒तु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• दानम्: gift, donation
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (singular)

• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: to the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन (plural)

• महीपतिः: the king (lord of the earth)
• महीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī-pati (प्रातिपदिक; mahī + pati)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन (singular)

• भूमिशायी: lying on the ground
• भूमिशायी: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūmi-śāyin (प्रातिपदिक; bhūmi + śāyin)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (qualifying mahīpatiḥ)

• प्रशान्तात्मा: of tranquil mind
• प्रशान्तात्मा: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praśānta-ātman (प्रातिपदिक; praśānta + ātman)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण

• षष्ठकालकृताशनः: eating only at the sixth time (i.e., very restrained)
• षष्ठकालकृताशनः: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṣṭha-kāla-kṛta-aśana (प्रातिपदिक; ṣaṣṭha + kāla + kṛta + aśana)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण; अर्थः—षष्ठे काले कृतम् अशनम् यस्य (one whose eating is done at the sixth time)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king in simple garments gives gifts to seated brāhmaṇas; later he rests on bare earth, serene, with a sparse meal set aside, indicating long fasting intervals.

Characters & Entities

• King (mahīpati)
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is strengthened by combining generosity (dāna) with self-discipline (vrata): charity, simplicity, and restraint purify the mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it highlights dharmic practices within the chapter’s sacred narrative context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna to brāhmaṇas, bhūmiśayana (sleeping on the ground), and a regulated eating discipline described as eating at the “sixth time” (infrequent meals/fasting regimen).