Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

विधिहीनं तथाऽपात्रे यो ददाति प्रतिग्रहम् । न केवलं हि तद्याति शेषं तस्य च नश्यति

Transliteration

vidhihīnaṃ tathā'pātre yo dadāti pratigraham | na kevalaṃ hi tadyāti śeṣaṃ tasya ca naśyati

Translation

若人不依仪则而施，又施于不堪受者，则不但那份施物失去，其余福德与资财亦随之损减。

Word by Word

• vidhi-hīnam: devoid of proper rule
• vidhi-hīnam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विधिना हीनम्)

• tathā: likewise/also
• tathā: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• apātre: to an unworthy recipient
• apātre: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वकं (unworthy recipient)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम

• dadāti: gives
• dadāti: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• pratigraham: a gift/acceptance (as donation)
• pratigraham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• kevalam: only/merely
• kevalam: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial use)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/हेतुबोधक-निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• tat: that (merit/result)
• tat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘याति’ इत्यस्य कर्तृवत् (that [merit])

• yāti: goes/is lost
• yāti: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (या धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• śeṣam: the remainder (of wealth/merit)
• śeṣam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• naśyati: perishes/is destroyed
• naśyati: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √naś (नश् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A donor hastily gives to an unworthy recipient; the atmosphere turns somber as the gift is mishandled, symbolizing dissipation of merit; a wise elder gestures caution.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity must be discerning and rule-guided; careless giving can destroy both the gift’s merit and one’s remaining spiritual/ethical capital.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader discourse is situated in Kāśī Khaṇḍa; the verse teaches universal dāna-dharma within Kāśī’s sanctifying narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid vidhihīna (ruleless) and apātra (unfit-recipient) dāna; ensure the recipient’s worthiness and the act’s correctness.