Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 157

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । भूतादिभ्यो यथा विप्र नाम्ना वोद्दिश्य दीयते । सुरादीनां कथं चैव संक्षेपेण न दीयते

Transliteration

rājovāca | bhūtādibhyo yathā vipra nāmnā voddiśya dīyate | surādīnāṃ kathaṃ caiva saṃkṣepeṇa na dīyate

Translation

国王说道：“婆罗门啊，既然对诸类众生如鬼神等，皆可指名而施供；为何对诸天等亦不能略举其名而供养呢？”

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• भूतादिभ्यः: to beings and others
• भूतादिभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + आदि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative; here used as Dative sense in context), बहुवचन; समासः—भूताः आदयः येषां ते (भूतादयः)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/according as)

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• उद्दिश्य: having specified (as intended for)
• उद्दिश्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘उद्दिश्य’ = having designated/aimed at

• दीयते: is given
• दीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सुरादीनाम्: of the gods and others
• सुरादीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + आदि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—सुराः आदयः (सुरादयः)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative adverb)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Kriya-viseshana (Emphatic/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• संक्षेपेण: briefly
• संक्षेपेण: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (in the sense of ‘briefly’)

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

• दीयते: is given
• दीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Rājā (the king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king respectfully questions a learned brāhmaṇa about why offerings to gods cannot be done merely by naming, as is done for bhūta-bali; the setting suggests a sacred precinct with ritual vessels and fire nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā
• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Bhūtas
• Suras (Devas)
• Offerings (dāna)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It probes ritual logic: if dedication-by-name works for some recipients, what governs proper dedication for gods and other classes of beings?

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse references uddiśya dāna—giving offerings by explicitly designating recipients by name.