Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

तस्माच्छ्रद्धा प्रकर्तव्या मानवैर्धर्मवत्सलैः । ईशोऽपि श्रद्धया साध्यस्तेन श्रद्धा विशिष्यते

Transliteration

tasmācchraddhā prakartavyā mānavairdharmavatsalaiḥ | īśo'pi śraddhayā sādhyastena śraddhā viśiṣyate

Translation

Darum sollen Menschen, die dem Dharma zugetan sind, den Glauben pflegen; denn selbst der Herr wird durch Glauben erlangt—daher ist der Glaube das Höchste.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इत्यव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; हेत्वर्थे अपादान-भावे (ablative sense: “therefore/from that reason”)

• श्रद्धा: faith
• श्रद्धा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular

• प्रकर्तव्या: to be done, should be undertaken
• प्रकर्तव्या: Kriya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (तव्यत्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; gerundive/passive necessity adjective agreeing with श्रद्धा

• मानवैः: by humans
• मानवैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• धर्मवत्सलैः: fond of dharma, devoted to righteousness
• धर्मवत्सलैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrumental plural; adjective qualifying मानवैः; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धर्मे वत्सलाः)

• ईशः: the Lord
• ईशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कारार्थक-अव्यय (particle: “even/also”)

• श्रद्धया: by faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental singular

• साध्यः: attainable, can be accomplished
• साध्यः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक; √साध्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicative adjective: “is attainable”

• तेन: therefore, by that
• तेन: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental singular; “by that/therefore”

• श्रद्धा: faith
• श्रद्धा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular

• विशिष्यते: excels, is distinguished
• विशिष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + शिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; present 3rd sg

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral allegory: a pilgrim plants a seed labeled ‘Śraddhā’ that grows into a luminous tree whose canopy reveals Īśvara; dharma-loving people water it with acts like truth, charity, and worship.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Īśa (Lord)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śraddhā is not optional; it is the central means by which one approaches and realizes the Lord.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is specified; the teaching functions as a universal rule for all tīrtha and worship in the Revā Khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is internal: cultivate śraddhā as a deliberate spiritual practice supporting all dharmic acts.