Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

नित्यं सम्पूज्य सद्विप्रान्गन्धमाल्यादिभूषणैः । द्वादशाब्दानि सा तीरे गङ्गायाः समवस्थिता

Transliteration

nityaṃ sampūjya sadviprāngandhamālyādibhūṣaṇaiḥ | dvādaśābdāni sā tīre gaṅgāyāḥ samavasthitā

Translation

كانت كلَّ يومٍ تُكرم البراهمة الأجلّاء إكرامًا لائقًا بالعطور والأكاليل وسائر الزينة؛ ومكثت اثنتي عشرة سنةً مقيمةً على ضفة الغانغا.

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: always; daily
• नित्यम्: Avyaya (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन-द्वितीया; अव्ययीभाव (adverbial accusative)

• सम्पूज्य: having worshipped
• सम्पूज्य: Kriya (Gerund/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त); ‘having duly worshipped’

• सद्विप्रान्: good Brahmins
• सद्विप्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सन्तः विप्राः)

• गन्धमाल्यादिभूषणैः: with ornaments like perfumes and garlands
• गन्धमाल्यादिभूषणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + माल्य + आदि + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गन्ध-माल्य-आदि-भूषणैः = ‘with ornaments such as perfumes and garlands’)

• द्वादशाब्दानि: twelve years
• द्वादशाब्दानि: Karma (Extent/कर्म-प्रमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—द्विगु (द्वादश अब्दाः)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तीरे: on the bank
• तीरे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गङ्गायाः: of the Ganga
• गङ्गायाः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समवस्थिता: remained; stayed
• समवस्थिता: Kriya (Predicate/आख्यातार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अव-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘remained/was stationed’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Revā Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā-tīra (tīra-vāsa)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Daily ritual on the Gaṅgā bank: the queen offers garlands, sandal paste, and ornaments to seated brāhmaṇas; a small altar with lamps; the river flowing behind; the passage of years suggested by seasonal changes.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sustained devotion is shown through daily service—especially honoring the righteous and maintaining a long-term vow near sacred waters.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gaṅgā-tīra, portrayed as a place fit for long residence, worship, and accumulation of puṇya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular pūjā/service to brāhmaṇas with offerings such as perfumes and garlands (a form of dāna and satkāra).