Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

वाचिकैर्मानसैश्च वा कर्मजैरपि पातकैः । पिण्डिकां चाप्यवष्टभ्य याम्यामाशां च संस्थितः

Transliteration

vācikairmānasaiśca vā karmajairapi pātakaiḥ | piṇḍikāṃ cāpyavaṣṭabhya yāmyāmāśāṃ ca saṃsthitaḥ

Translation

Selbst wenn einer von Sünden befleckt ist, die aus Rede, Geist oder Tat entstehen—gestützt auf die Piṇḍikā und nach Süden gewandt stehend—

Word by Word

• वाचिकैः: by verbal (acts)
• वाचिकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाचिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; adjective used instrumentally = "by/with verbal (sins)"

• मानसैः: by mental (acts)
• मानसैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; adjective used instrumentally = "by mental (sins)"

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-बोधक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• कर्मजैः: by action-born
• कर्मजैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्मज (प्रातिपदिक; कर्म + ज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कर्मणः जाताः) = "born of actions"

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षा-बोधक अव्यय (also/even)

• पातकैः: by sins
• पातकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrument of affliction/means

• पिण्डिकाम्: a lump/ball (piṇḍikā)
• पिण्डिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्डिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षा-बोधक अव्यय (also/even)

• अवष्टभ्य: having supported/held
• अवष्टभ्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√स्तम्भ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; "having supported/held"

• याम्याम्: southern (Yama’s)
• याम्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; modifies आशाम्

• आशाम्: direction/quarter
• आशाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• संस्थितः: standing/situated
• संस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; "standing/being situated"

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Piṇḍikā (Revā-tīrtha)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa / nṛpanandana (king/prince)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A penitent pilgrim at the Narmadā bank near a stone/earthen Piṇḍikā marker, standing south-facing in twilight, hands folded, preparing for rites; river, śmaśāna-like quiet, and Śiva’s unseen presence implied.

Characters & Entities

• Piṇḍikā (named sacred locus)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha is portrayed as a remedy even for deep, multi-source wrongdoing—speech, mind, and deed—when approached with correct observance.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

A locale featuring “Piṇḍikā,” treated as a ritual support/spot within the described tīrtha complex.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Assume a specific posture/position: take support of Piṇḍikā and stand oriented toward the southern quarter (yāmya diś).