Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

आवाभ्यां नित्यशः कार्यं कुमारत्वे महत्तपः । आराध्यस्त्वं सुरश्रेष्ठो वाङ्मनःकर्मभिस्तथा

Transliteration

āvābhyāṃ nityaśaḥ kāryaṃ kumāratve mahattapaḥ | ārādhyastvaṃ suraśreṣṭho vāṅmanaḥkarmabhistathā

Translation

علينا نحن الاثنين، في سنّ الفتوة، أن نزاول التقشّف العظيم على الدوام؛ وأنتَ، يا أفضلَ السورَة، ينبغي أن تُعبَد بالكلام والفكر والعمل.

Word by Word

• आवाभ्याम्: by us two
• आवाभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/Agentive-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; द्विवचन-रूप)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd), द्विवचन; कर्तृ-साधनभाव

• नित्यशः: always, continually
• नित्यशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यशः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: always/regularly)

• कार्यम्: (it is) to be done / duty
• कार्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः ण्यत्)
• Form: ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय (what is to be done)

• कुमारत्वे: in boyhood
• कुमारत्वे: Adhikarana (Location/State/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमारत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अवस्था/अधिकरण

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (तपः इति)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृ/विधेय

• आराध्यः: to be worshipped
• आराध्यः: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + राध् (धातु) + य (ण्यत्)
• Form: ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be worshipped’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सुरश्रेष्ठः: best of the gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठः: Sambodhana/Karta (Address or predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुराणां श्रेष्ठः)

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वस्य अङ्ग (वाक्-मनः-कर्म)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वस्य अङ्ग

• कर्मभिः: by deeds
• कर्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; साधन (instrumental plural)

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: thus/also)

Speaker

Narrative voice uncertain from the snippet (context suggests a vow-like resolve spoken by one of the two women; likely Ratnāvatī addressing the deity)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two youthful ascetics undertaking tapas—standing in prayer, japa, and service—directed toward the ‘best of gods’; emphasis on speech, mind, and deeds symbolized by manuscript, lotus-heart, and offering tray.

Characters & Entities

• two devotees (āvābhyām)
• suraśreṣṭha (best of gods—likely Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ideal devotion is ‘threefold’—speech, mind, and action aligned—supported by disciplined tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly supports the tīrtha narrative by highlighting the tapas that causes the site’s sanctification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing sustained tapas and ārādhana (worship) through vāk-manas-karman (speech, mind, deeds).