Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

निमी राष्ट्रं च वैदेहो जामदग्न्यो वसुंधराम् । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ददौ चापि गयश्चोर्वीं सपत्तनाम्

Transliteration

nimī rāṣṭraṃ ca vaideho jāmadagnyo vasuṃdharām | brāhmaṇebhyo dadau cāpi gayaścorvīṃ sapattanām

Translation

毗提诃的尼弥施舍其国土；阇摩达格尼之子（帕罗修罗摩）施舍大地；迦耶亦将土地——连同其所依附的一切赋税收益——布施于诸婆罗门。

Word by Word

• निमिः: Nimi
• निमिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राष्ट्रम्: kingdom
• राष्ट्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• वैदेहः: the Videhan (king of Videha)
• वैदेहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; उपाधि/विशेषणरूपेण (epithet of Nimi)

• जामदग्न्यः: Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma)
• जामदग्न्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जामदग्न्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वसुंधराम्: the earth/land
• वसुंधराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुंधरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: to Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Dative (4th), Plural

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (particle: also/even)

• गयः: Gaya
• गयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• उर्वीम्: the earth/land
• उर्वीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सपत्तनाम्: together with its cities
• सपत्तनाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + पत्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular; समासः: पत्तनैः सह (with towns/cities)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gayā (implicit resonance)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Triptych: (1) Nimi of Videha handing over royal insignia/kingdom to brāhmaṇas; (2) Paraśurāma offering the earth (symbolic globe/land deed) after conquest; (3) King Gaya granting fertile lands with revenue streams to brāhmaṇas—scribes recording grants, sacred fire nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Nimi (Vaideha)
• Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma)
• Gaya
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supreme merit arises from selfless giving—especially when power, land, or sovereignty is surrendered for dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the broader Mahātmya theme of dāna as a dharmic path.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bhūdāna and rājya-tyāga (donation of land/kingdom) as exemplary forms of charity.