Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

सुवर्णदानं दातव्यं तत्र यात्राफलेप्सुभिः । स्नात्वा संपूजनीयश्च आदिदेवो जनार्द्दनः

Transliteration

suvarṇadānaṃ dātavyaṃ tatra yātrāphalepsubhiḥ | snātvā saṃpūjanīyaśca ādidevo janārddanaḥ

Translation

凡欲得彼处朝圣圆满果报者，当行布施黄金；沐浴净身之后，应如法礼敬阇那尔达那（Janārdana），本初之主。

Word by Word

• सुवर्णदानम्: gift of gold
• सुवर्णदानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विधेय/कर्म (neuter nom/acc sg)

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• दातव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय) → दातव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (to be given)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• यात्राफलेप्सुभिः: by those who desire the fruit of the pilgrimage
• यात्राफलेप्सुभिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा + फल + इप्सु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; करण/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध (by those desiring the fruit of pilgrimage)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): पूर्वक्रिया (having bathed)

• संपूजनीयः: to be duly worshipped
• संपूजनीयः: Karma (Object of worship/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृदन्त) → संपूजनीय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अनीयर्-कृदन्त (gerundive), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (worthy/should be worshipped)

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

• आदिदेवः: the primeval god
• आदिदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तृ/विधेय (nom sg)

• जनार्द्दनः: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्द्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्द्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्ता/सम्बोधनार्थ-नाम (nom sg, proper name)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Saṃnihita-associated yātrā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims emerge from sacred waters, then approach a shrine of Janārdana with lamps, flowers, and incense; a donor offers a small gold coin/ornament to a priest or as temple dāna, signifying the ‘full fruit’ of yātrā.

Characters & Entities

• Saṃnihityā (tīrtha)
• Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• Suvarṇa-dāna
• Snāna
• Yātrā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is completed by dharma: charity, purification through bathing, and devoted worship of the Lord.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The pilgrimage context remains Saṃnihityā within Prabhāsa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Gold donation (suvarṇa-dāna), sacred bathing (snāna), and worship of Janārdana (Viṣṇu).