Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

दातव्यं वैष्णवानां तु श्रोतव्यं भक्तिभावतः । द्वादश्यां च विशेषेण पठनीयं तु जागरे

Transliteration

dātavyaṃ vaiṣṇavānāṃ tu śrotavyaṃ bhaktibhāvataḥ | dvādaśyāṃ ca viśeṣeṇa paṭhanīyaṃ tu jāgare

Translation

此教诲当施与毗湿奴信众（Vaiṣṇava），并应以虔敬之心聆听。尤其在十二日斋（Dvādaśī）之时，应于守夜中诵读。

Word by Word

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• दातव्यम्: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + तव्य (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त), कर्मणि/विधेयभावः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (impersonal predicate: ‘is to be given’)

• वैष्णवानाम्: of/for the Vaiṣṇavas
• वैष्णवानाम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• तु: indeed/and (emphatic)
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/contrast particle)

• श्रोतव्यम्: should be listened to
• श्रोतव्यम्: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तव्य (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त), कर्मणि/विधेयभावः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (impersonal predicate: ‘is to be heard’)

• भक्तिभावतः: with a devotional attitude
• भक्तिभावतः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भक्तेः भावः); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान-अर्थे ‘from/through’), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (adverbial sense)

• द्वादश्याम्: on the Dvādaśī (12th lunar day)
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

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

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Karana (Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial)

• पठनीयम्: should be recited/read
• पठनीयम्: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु) + अनीय (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त), कर्मणि/विधेयभावः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (impersonal predicate: ‘is to be recited/read’)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• जागरे: during the night-vigil (jāgara)
• जागरे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Vaiṣṇava assembly at night: a reader recites the Dvārakā-māhātmya while devotees listen with folded hands; lamps and incense glow; the Dvādaśī vigil continues with kīrtana.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiṣṇavas
• Dvādaśī
• Jāgara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional transmission—through giving, listening, and recitation—multiplies the power of sacred teachings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is the implied focus, as the recitation concerns Dvārakā’s Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna to Vaiṣṇavas, śravaṇa with bhakti, and special recitation on Dvādaśī during the vigil (jāgara).