Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

एतत्प्रमाणं तत्तीर्थं पिण्डदानादिकर्मसु । नाधर्मनिरता दातुं लभन्ते दानमत्र हि

Transliteration

etatpramāṇaṃ tattīrthaṃ piṇḍadānādikarmasu | nādharmaniratā dātuṃ labhante dānamatra hi

Translation

此即该圣地（tīrtha）在供奉祭团（piṇḍa）等祖先仪轨中的尺度。然沉溺于非法（adharma）者，在此不得布施之果；确然，对他们而言，此处的施舍不生真实功德。

Word by Word

• एतत्प्रमाणम्: this measure
• एतत्प्रमाणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (एतत् प्रमाणम्)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तीर्थम्: tīrtha
• तीर्थम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• पिण्डदानादिकर्मसु: in rites such as piṇḍa-offering
• पिण्डदानादिकर्मसु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्डदान + आदि + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (पिण्डदानादीनि कर्माणि)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Avyaya (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• अधर्मनिरताः: those devoted to unrighteousness
• अधर्मनिरताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म + निरत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी/उपपद-तत्पुरुष (अधर्मे निरताः)

• दातुम्: to give
• दातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (Infinitive), अव्यय; ‘to give’

• लभन्ते: obtain, get
• लभन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• दानम्: gift, charity
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ-निपात (particle: indeed/for)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śūlabheda-tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A priest indicates the bounded tīrtha area for piṇḍa-dāna; beside him, two donors contrasted—one pure and humble receiving blessing, another arrogant/adharmic shown with dim aura, his offering rejected by the sacred field.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (implicitly via piṇḍa-dāna)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred acts yield full merit only when aligned with dharma; place-sanctity does not excuse adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śūlabheda-tīrtha in the Revā Khaṇḍa, praised as effective for ancestral rites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of piṇḍa-dāna and related rites at the tīrtha, with the ethical condition of dharmic conduct.